


1001 days

by HeavenOnFire



Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF Itachi, M/M, Multi, Special Agent AU, good guys Akatsuki, mild polygamy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-28 16:02:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10132682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavenOnFire/pseuds/HeavenOnFire
Summary: There were two Itachis. One on the inside, known only to a handful of people in the world. The other Itachi, the one people believed they knew was an image forged by casual media and speculations. That Itachi was a genius and a modern hero.On the inside, Itachi considered himself none of these things.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've been carrying this idea with me for years now. It was just a short description of half a page, and now it became a monster.... Like everything I write.  
> Seriously, I tried to make it short, like less than 10K. But then talking to Teacup17 and rainysnow I felt so encouraged my hands just wouldn't stop and this story became longer and longer. They are also my two heroes who actually made me believe that this isn't complete garbage. 
> 
> Not beta'd.

**1001 days**

  


**Day 922, 20:35 hours**

**Penthouse office, Uchiha Enterprise, Konoha City**

Itachi was listening to the international news when a gentle knock on his office door interrupted him. He blinked, refocusing on the skyline of his city. Though he had been staring at it for the last ten minutes, he saw nothing of its beauty. Once, this place was all that he cared about. This was his hometown, co-founded by his ancestor. Right now, Itachi had no mind to enjoy the charming night that promised excess and joy for its millions of inhabitants.

“Come in,” he said, not raising his voice above its usual monotone.

“Mr. Uchiha,” his intern of the month Sakura started, still slightly unsure of herself, “your car leaves in 20 minutes. Is there anything else you require, Sir?”

“Nothing,” he told her, “you can go home now, Miss Haruno.”

“Really?” she seemed surprised. “I don't mind staying.”

“Enjoy your weekend.”

“Thank you, Sir,” she lingered a moment at the door. “Uhm, happy birthday, Sir. I'm sure the party will be a blast. It's all over the news.”

Itachi didn't reply. He narrowed his eyes as she closed the door behind her, otherwise he would have slammed it shut. He wasn't angry at her. Sakura was only a young student, trying to make the best out of her internship at the Uchiha Enterprise. He couldn't fault her for wanting to belong to the high society. Those fortunate enough to be apart from the City's Elite often harbor false imaginations of the life as a socialite.

Nothing on Itachi's face betrayed his inner frustration with his own social class. But the storm inside was growing larger each day. With each hour passing, Itachi wished more and more that he had never come back here. He counted to ten, smoothing down his tailored suit and prepared to become someone else.

There were two Itachis. One on the inside, known only to a handful of people in the world. The other Itachi, the one people believed they knew was an image forged by casual media and speculations. It was of a man frequently featured in magazines. From fashion to economy, Itachi had occupied their covers many times. That Itachi was a genius and a modern hero.

Having the fortune of being the first son of the latest Uchiha generation, Itachi was born a prince in the 21th century. His childhood was filled with luxury and privilege. His tutors were the most renowned academics of from all over the world, his friends the offsprings of the upper ten-thousand. Before the day Itachi left home to study aboard, he had not realized what life meant outside the walls of the Uchiha Manor.

At the age of 14, he graduated from the best institution known to man. After only two years of study, Itachi was major of four subjects, economy, political science, psychology and philosophy. He could have done anything with his degree, yet Itachi chose to listen to the man in simple black suit who approached him while he still held his degree in hand. To the world, Itachi was invited to study at a government funded school only available to the hand-picked elites.

After a short vacation back home, Itachi disappeared from the world.

When he finally returned home after eight long years, the reserved, shy teen had become a young man of lean muscles and long black hair. After his reappearance at the Konoha airport, his picture quickly went through all channels of the media. The hype of his return was expected and continued to rise in the weeks that followed. In that time, every step he made was followed by paparazzi and every word he said was printed in the latest magazines. Everyone wanted to know where he was or what he did. Everyone wanted a piece of the the retuning prince who shone like a new star on their night sky.

Two month later, Itachi shocked the economy world by accepting his father's offer to join the family business. Since that day, all of their opponents shuddered when Itachi's name was mentioned. As soft as his appearance might suggest, Itachi was a ruthless businessman. He quickly rose through the ranks, making a name for himself. It was said that should Itachi set his eyes on a target, resistance was futile. The genius did not make mistakes and could not be tricked. He showed no mercy and cared for nothing.

Today, on the day of his 25th birthday, Itachi was not only a senior member of the Uchiha board, he was also the most eligible bachelor in the city. He was feared by the men and desired by the women. He was one of the richest man in the world and one of its biggest mystery.

On the inside, Itachi considered himself none of these things. He loathed economy and its confusing structure. He despised capitalism, wanting nothing to do with those greedy old men grabbing at the world with their fat little fingers. The elite of Konoha, the rich and beautiful, they were a disease upon his soul. Their shallowness and hypocrisy revolted him. At times, Itachi didn't know if he should resent them or pity them.

The ride to the grand hotel was quiet. His driver, a young man with a bored expression called Shikamaru Nara didn't bother to make small talk for which Itachi was very grateful. Slowly sipping his glass of whiskey, Itachi leaned towards the window. He let the light of the bright streets distract him, bringing his mind to a time when all was simple.

When he was a child, he loved driving with his father. He always looked up to the towers with his family name on it and promised to bring their legacy to new heights. He used to want things like becoming the son his father wished for on the day he was born. He used to accept his duty as an Uchiha, to fulfill his destiny of becoming the next leader of the Uchiha Enterprise.

He put on his public face when the hotel came into view. Photographers besieged the entrance, all wanting a new picture of the prince of Konoha. They shouted his name when he stepped onto the red carpet. Microphones and recording devices were pushed in his directions, all of them asking meaningless questions. Who was he wearing tonight? What about the rumor of him dating his assistant? Was he planning on taking over the other company? When will he get married? Why didn't he bring a date? Where was he when he disappeared for eight years?

Itachi threw that man a short glance, taking in even the smallest detail on the reporter. Male, middle thirty. Light skin, dark hair, average height. Bodyfat over 30 per cent, no mentionable muscles or physical strength. His accent wasn't local, the way he phrased his question indicated a somewhat decent education. No threat, only an aggressive reporter wanting to unveil his past.

Itachi walked pass him without a second glance. Inside the hotel, he was greeted by his permanent assistant Izumi Uchiha, whom he was supposedly dating. She directed him towards the reception, telling him of all the people he needed to meet. She handed him a handkerchief and sprayed sanitizer on it. Then, she smiled up at him apologetically and said that he had at least remain an hour before leaving.

He knew that of course. He had memorized the guest list and the procedure of the day. He knew that there were only a handful he needed to speak to in person, his own family included. He accounted 30 minute for that before blowing out his candles and cutting the cake. Then, he would have another 20 minutes to mingle with his family before Shikamaru brought the car around.

At 22:15, he should be home again.

When Itachi locked the door behind him in his bedroom, the clock read 22:17. He leaned his head back against the dark wood door and breathed out. He let the ease of being home wash over him and slowly let his guard down. He changed out of his Hugo Boss suit and dropped to the floor hands forward. After 45 minutes of intense muscle and agility routine, Itachi washed and made ready for bed.

As the last ritual of the day, he pushed a dark crimson curtain aside, revealing a black wall behind it. Using the white marker he kept close, Itachi added another line to his counting. After making the 922th mark, Itachi closed the curtain and climbed into bed.

When the clock chimed 00:00, Itachi was smothering his sobs and desperately trying to sleep.

  


**Day 935, 14:17**

Itachi returned to his office from a long lunch meeting. He had just prevented a major strike against his father's company.

  


**Day 938, 10:38**

The meeting was concluded with his signature on a document that would buy off the same company which had attempted a hostile take-over on the Uchiha Armory Branch.

  


**Day 942, 09:03**

He cut the ribbon to the second Mikoto Uchiha Memorial Hospital together with his mother.

  


**Day 945, 03:22**

Itachi startled from his sleep, still seeing searchlights before his eyes and the sound of sirens in his ears. He gave up on sleeping and started his morning routine. He trained in his spare room which had been modeled into a fitness dojo until 06:00 and headed down to have breakfast with his family at 07:00.

They didn't comment that the bags under his eyes were getting larger, or that he barely spoke to them these days. Fugaku asked about the business to which Itachi recited all the important facts as if reading out the weather for the day. He praised Itachi for his achievement and then reminded him that they had a business dinner tonight. Mikoto asked if he was doing anything fun for the long weekend coming up to which Itachi didn't answer. They all knew that he would spend his time either locked up in his room or locked up in his office.

She kissed the top of his head when she refilled his plate with fruits which Itachi didn't touch. Years after his return, Mikoto had learned that pressuring Itachi into eating was a futile battle. Instead, she turned towards another subject that irritated him no less.

“So, Itachi,” she started, putting her magazine down, “you know the Uchiha summer party is approaching.” she had a gentle smile on her face, trying to make Itachi reflect on her emotion. “We'll be celebrating here at the manor, I need to know the guest list. Will be you be bringing a date this year?”

Itachi didn't bother to answer. He finished his tea and put his own newspapers down. “Have a good day, Mother.”

Itachi arrived at his office at 08:00 point.

  


**Act I:**

**Day 982, 20:49**

**Dining Room, Uchiha Manor, Konoha City**

Despite their packed schedule, the Uchihas insisted on having dinner together for at least once a week. The date would be set up by their personal assistants and then confirmed with all attending parties. It was either held in a restaurant of the highest standard or at the Uchiha Manor where a chef of the Akimichi family would prepare a meal no less exquisite.

Picking at his risotto, Itachi barely paid attention to the conversation between his family. Sasuke was telling them of a project for his history class that involved the founding of their city when their family butler cleared his throat at the door. Itachi's half-crippled uncle Obito had the misfortune of coming from a smaller family. After his tragic accident as a young recruit, the teenager was bedridden for years. If Fugaku didn't take the boy in back then, Obito might have ended on the streets, or even worse.

“What is it?” Fugaku asked.

“Sir,” Obito said, his voice still raspy due to a damaged windpipe. “There are two men at the gate, asking for entrance.”

“What?” the Uchiha patriarch frowned. “Do they know what place this is? Send them away, we're not receiving guests this evening.”

“They are quite insistent,” Obito chuckled nervously. “They want to see Itachi.”

That caught the genius' attention. He lifted a brow. “Who are they?”

“They didn't state their names, Sir,” the butler explained. “I asked, but they wouldn't say. Just that they are dropping by to see you.”

“Friends of yours?” Mikoto sounded almost delighted, if Itachi couldn't see through her attempt to mask her irritation of having her family dinner interrupted.

“Like you have friends!” Sasuke snorted.

Itachi frowned. Sasuke was right, he didn't have any friends. And those he considered his friends knew better than to come here. Fugaku made a disgruntled noise. He put his fork down and regarded his first born with a mix of curiosity and stern disapproval. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Mikoto put a hand on his.

“Obito, are you sure they aren't reporters?”

Obito answered after a chuckled. “Pretty sure, Ma'am.”

“Then I'd very much like to receive them, seeing how this is the first time Itachi has any visitors since coming back home.”

“We're eating, Mother!” Sasuke objected. He too didn't like his time with Itachi intruded on.

“There's no need, Mother,” Itachi said softly after wiping his mouth and putting his napkin on the table. “Obito, please bring them to the entrance hall, I'll receive them there.”

It was just after Obito left that Sasuke slammed his hands down on the table. “But Itachi,” he shouted. “We get to see you only once a week and you'd still bail on us. Do you even want this family?”

“Don't be dramatic, Sasuke,” Itachi stood. “Remain seated and continue with your meal. I'll be back shortly.”

“Like you would!” Sasuke spat. He averted his eyes, biting down on his lip. Despite of being 19 years old, Sasuke sometimes still acted like a child.

Itachi couldn't blame him for being angry. He understood that Sasuke just wanted to spend more time with him like they used to when they were children. But today, Itachi couldn't so much as bring himself to smile at his brother. There was nothing to smile about and none of Sasuke's tantrum was going to change that. He was just glad that his brother was returning to his studies away from Konoha once his project was done.

The front door to the Uchiha Manor flew open with a man cursing loudly. “Shit!” the newcomer exclaimed, his volume far above appropriate. “This place is fucking huge!”

Itachi gasped at the familiar voice, alerting his parents and brother behind him. His feet carried him towards the source of those vulgar words faster than he wanted, his heart suddenly pounding with both fear and excitement. Adrenaline flooded his system, driving him into a run until he came face to face with his two visitors.

“You guys,” he breathed, feeling tears coming to his eyes.

“Itachi!” the blond of the two shouted, running towards him in a blur of long hair and glistening eyes. He jumped up at the Uchiha genius who caught him in mid-flight. He took both of Itachi's cheeks into his palms and pressed his full lips to the raven, not parting them for minutes. He laughed loudly when he pulled himself back. “Damn, you look like shit!”

“Deidara!” Itachi swallowed the lump in his throat. He pushed the blond to an arm's length to survey the shorter man up and down. Blinking his tears away, Itachi embraced him anew, pressing a fond kiss to the side of his head. “It's so good to see you.”

“You fucking forgot about me, pretty boy?” The bigger man with platinum hair yelled, his voice echoing thrill through the hall.

Itachi heard his parents gasp from behind him, but paid them no mind. He couldn't mind them when two of his best friends just showed up unannounced. He pressed a hand to his mouth to smother the sniff while wiping the tears away. He opened his arms to welcome the bigger intruder, but found himself lifted up instead.

“Hidan,” he laughed, “put me down.”

“Son of a bitch!” Hidan exclaimed in good humor, one hand moving to cup Itachi's butt. He took hold of Itachi's thighs and placed them around his own waist. Then, the blond initiated his welcoming hug in form of dry humping which made Itachi giggle.

“Enough already,” Itachi chuckled, holding on with both arms around Hidan's neck and his legs wrapped around the man's hip.

“You better kiss me too, or I'll fuck your bony ass into the floor right here!” he didn't wait for Itachi's reply but started forcing his tongue down Itachi's throat. It wasn't the worst kiss Itachi experienced, but it was close. “Mhm, you taste like cheese.”

Hidan loosened his hold just as Itachi's unwrapped himself from his friend. “Ah, yes,” the genius smiled softly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “I was just eating.”

“Hell yeah!” Deidara shouted. “I'm starving! We didn't make any stops for food.”

“Quit yapping!” Hidan whirled around to snap at Deidara. “Weren't you the one bitching about me driving too slow?”

“Not my fault that my grandma's better behind the wheel than you! And she's dead!” Deidara hissed back.

“You little bitch!” Hidan lifted his fist to strike at the blond's face. Itachi caught it purely on instinct.

“I see, nothing has changed,” he stated calmly. “You two are still at each other's throat.”

Hidan shook his hand free of Itachi's grasp. “Fucking menace traveling with him. Next time, I'll just let him rot in a ditch.”

“Then I'll make sure you don't get ten feet before having an engine to your face, yeah!”

Their banter was stopped by a soft, yet firm cough behind them. “I'd hate to interrupt such a... _heartwarming_ reunion. But Itachi, would you kindly introduce us to your friends?”

“Of course,” Itachi turned to face them, ignoring their different state of shock. Sasuke looked like his head might explode any minute. “These are my friends, Hidan and Deidara.”

“Oi, Itachi,” Hidan whispered next to his ear. “Who's the babe?”

“The _babe_ ,” Itachi warned, “is my mother.”

Hidan whistled. “No fucking wonder you got these looks,” he ran his hand over his platinum hair as he approached the Uchiha matriarch, just to be stopped by Itachi's firm grasp on his shoulder.

“Hidan, Deidara, these are my family. My mother Mikoto, my father Fugaku and my brother Sasuke.”

“You guys look like one of those ads for a photo frame,” Deidara laughed. “All up tight and pretty.”

“And who's the cripple at the door?” Hidan asked.

Itachi saw Sasuke wince and Obito flinch. He smacked Hidan on his arm for his tactlessness. “That is our butler and family friend, my uncle Obito.” He turned towards his family again. “Mother, Father, if you'll excuse me. My friends and I have much to discuss.”

“huh, we're leaving?” Deidara wondered, blinking and scratching the back of his head. “We just arrived, yeah.”

“Please wait,” Mikoto quickly interfered before Itachi could lead his friends away. “Mr. Deidara, was it? I would be a bad host if I didn't at least offer you dinner. Would you care to join us?”

“I could use a bite,” Hidan stated. “Fucking starving over here. Those shitty bars can't keep a man going.”

Before Itachi could intervene, Deidara and Hidan was already being led into the dining room, where a maid had just set up two additional chairs. The instant they took their seats, food was served and wine offered.

Deidara grinned as if he was a princess and winked at Itachi. Hidan instead took the whole bottle from Obito and filled his glass to the brim. “Damn good wine, this is!” He exclaimed after draining the whole thing and pouring more for himself. Itachi refrained to slapping his forehead. If Hidan only knew how much that bottle cost.

“So, Mr. Deidara, Mr. Hidan” Mikoto started anew after recovering from her initial shock. “I was just wondering how you've come to know my son. We didn't know he had... friends like you.”

“Huh?” Deidara asked mid-bite. He looked towards Itachi who very subtly shook his head. “Uhm... I don't remember.”

Hidan burst out laughing, his manner shocking the Uchihas anew. “That's fucking hilarious! Never heard an shittier excuse!”

“Shut up, asshole!”

“Gentlemen, please.” Itachi said, trying not to smile at his family's outrage.

“What Uchiha?!” Deidara threw a piece of bread at Itachi. “Should I tell them or not?”

“I thought you can't remember,” Itachi took the piece of bread and put it in his mouth. He saw from the side of his vision that Sasuke gagged.

Hidan laughed again. “Like he could forget!” He downed his wine and poured the rest from the bottle into his glass. “Never shutting up about it!”

“Stupid Uchiha!” Deidara muttered under his breath. Then, he addressed Itachi's parents with the expression of a child telling on another child to his parents. “I was perfectly fine by myself, looking at those beautiful statues and studying art. I really looked forward to those statues, but your damn son just had to ruin everything. Out of nothing, he came in and said he wants me in his group.”

“You are the best in your field,” Itachi stated. “It would be irresponsible of me not to recruit you.”

“I said no first, like I want anything to do with your stupid boy-group,” Deidara said. “But then he just wiped out about how much better he was and what an elite team it was and bla bla bla.”

“So,” Mikoto said slightly confused, looking from her husband to Itachi. “You met at the University?”

“Yes,” Itachi said quickly before either of his friends could answer.

“So you studied together?” Sasuke asked, obviously wondering what school Itachi had been to if Deidara and Hidan could have been his companions. “What did you study?”

“Art.” Itachi answered for Deidara. “Hidan was a major in theology.”

“ _You_ are a priest?” Sasuke gasped, gazing at Hidan with disbelieve.

“You got a fucking problem with it?”

“You've got to be kidding me!”

“So you all met at a study group?” Fugaku asked, trying to be join his second son in his open curiosity.

Deidara grinned mischievously. “More like fraternity.”

Itachi rolled his eyes mentally. This was a disaster. It was time to end it. He wiped his mouth again and stood. “You two, come with me.”

“But I didn't have desert!” Deidara whined.

“You're done,” Itachi said, his eyes fierce and his voice firm.

“Asshole,” Deidara muttered under his breath. Hidan only shrugged and picked up the other bottle of wine on a tray by the door. He sniffed on it and and drank from the bottle before winking Mikoto in parting. Itachi waited until both his friends left before offering a brisk apology. He could read from his father's face that this incident would be discuss in the next days while Sasuke simply looked as if he was struck by a train. Mikoto was still deciding if she should be glad that her son had friends or aghast because of the choice of said friends.

Itachi didn't care. He ran and caught up with his friends on the way to his bedroom. He didn't ask how they knew where he lived or where his room was. He didn't even bother asking when Deidara typed in the right code combination for his separate alarm-system. When the extra secured door was locked behind them, Deidara threw an arm over his shoulder, pulling him closer.

“Sorry,” he whispered, though Deidara had no reason to apologize. “I got carried away.”

“It's not your fault.”

Hidan, as direct as always took a large swing from the wine bottle and handed it to Deidara. He clawed Itachi from Deidara's embrace and closed him in his own big arms. “It wasn't yours either.”

“Hidan....” Itachi trailed off.

“I'm not a fucking idiot!” Hidan started kissing his neck, his hands wandering over Itachi's body. “I can see that you're wrecking yourself. And I just happen to know a way to make you feel better.”

“Stop molesting him, you pervert!” Deidara shouted. “Give Itachi some space.”

“I don't need space,” Itachi moaned when Hidan's hand reached his rear. “Not from you guys.”

“Fuck it is, then.” The platinum blond said.

Deidara handed the wine to Itachi who drank it from the bottle. He threw his head back and let the alcohol burn down his throat. He closed his eyes when Hidan moved behind him, pressing his hardening cock against Itachi's ass. Before him, Deidara was already opening his pants. He let himself be swallowed and thought of nothing but the pleasure.

Within minutes, they tumbled into bed together.

At 01:30, Itachi was sprawled out in his bed, more relaxed than he had been in years. He came three times from sleeping with Deidara and Hidan, each time more intense than the one before. Next to him, the platinum blond was smoking while Deidara was typing away on his phone.

“Why are you here?” Itachi asked, taking the cigarette from Hidan.

“Got a job up north, just passing by,” Deidara said, still chatting with another mutual friend. “Sasori says hello.”

“He hacked my system?”

“Wasn't too hard, hn.”

“You're fucking famous,” Hidan took his cigarette back and slapped Itachi's butt. “Been seeing you everywhere. What's ya fucking up to?”

“Nothing,” the raven shook his head and leaned back against his friend. “Just trying to survive the day. Nothing more.”

“Come on,” Deidara finally put his phone down and wiping his hair away. “Don't you want to come back? We could use you.”

“Fuck yeah!” Hidan yelled. “Old team back together.”

Itachi said nothing. He closed his eyes and tried to stop the sniff. He knew that Hidan could feel him shaking and didn't protest when the other puts his arms around Itachi. In a moment that was uncharacteristic for Hidan, he whispered in Itachi's ear. “What happened, it wasn't your fault. No one's fucking fault. Shit like that just happens. You know that, right?”

Itachi swallowed, finally unable to stop his tears. He buried his face in Deidara's hair and allowed it to flow. “It was my fault,” he muttered and said nothing for the rest of their nights.

Next morning when Itachi arrived at breakfast 07:00, his friends were already gone. For a moment, Mikoto almost looked sad that Itachi's guest left without saying goodbye. If they knew what happened behind his door, they didn't mention it. Sasuke though looked smug, telling Itachi that he knew perfectly. It didn't surprise the genius. Hidan was not a subtle lover. He probably woke everyone every time he came.

  


**Day 992, 12:03**

**_PB 12:03:_ ** got time 2 chat?

**_Wraith 12:03_ ** _:_ 7 min

**_PB 12:04:_ ** some1s poking at u

**_Wraith 12:04_ ** _:_ specify

**_PB 12:04:_ ** PM says he gets pings

**_Wraith 12:04:_ ** source?

**_Wraith 12:05:_ ** location?

**_Puppetmaster 12:06:_ ** Hatake Kakashi, Reiketsu Road 7, 9720

**_PB 12:06:_ ** r u ok?

**_Wraith 12:06:_ ** I'll take care of it.

  


**Day 995, 21:59**

Itachi knocked on his father's study door and waited patiently. He knew that his father enjoyed reading a little bit before going to bed in about an hour. His mother had returned from her dinner 20 minute before, which meant she was here as well. It was a good time to confront his parents. He entered when invited, closing the door behind him. Though he had been here before, Itachi couldn't help but surveying the room, noting all the windows and exists.

“Itachi?” Fugaku looked surprised. He put his book down and gestured him closer.

His mother smiled, putting down her own magazine as well. “It's unusual for you to seek us out so late.”

“It's an unusual occasion.” Itachi remained standing in front of them and put a brown file folder down on the table. He saw his mother cover her mouth in a gasp while his father tensed. “I do not appreciate what you did.”

“How did you get this?” Mikoto asked, her eyes dancing between the folder and Itachi.

“That is not important.” Itachi stated. “Please refrain from it.”

“Itachi,” Mikoto stood, placing a hand on his arm, “we can explain! Please don't take this the wrong way, we're just worried about you.”

“If there is anything you wish to know, you could have simply asked me.”

“But we did,” Fugaku insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Even if we asked politely, would you have told us? We respect your space, son, but nowadays you barely speak to us. We had no choice.”

“But to hire a detective to investigate my past?” Itachi glowered. “My past is my business, please do not meddle.” He turned to leave, but his mother stopped him by stepping into his way.

“Don't you want to talk about it?” Her face shifted from worried to pleading, making Itachi halt in his retreat.

“There is nothing to talk about, I'm fine.”

“That isn't true, is it, Itachi?” Fugaku too stood, taking the file with him. “Hatake Kakashi did a thorough job, but there are still so many blank space in here. What have you really been up to, son?”

“Some things better remain unsaid.”

“Itachi, please,” his mother begged, now with tears in her eyes that threatened to spill. “We are just worried. We just want to know what happened to you. My beautiful boy, you were such a kind child. You used to be happy, what happened?”

Itachi closed his eyes, trying to banish the images that attacked him. He swallowed down the feelings that tried to overpower him, turning him into the mess he tried so hard to hide. “I'm sorry, Mother.” He eventually said. “But it's better if you don't know.”

She pressed both her hands over her mouth to stop the sniff. Fugaku laid an arm around her shoulder, as if protecting her from Itachi. “Just tell us this, Itachi, where were you in the eight years?”

“You know where I was. It's in Kakashi's files.”

Well, Kakashi did have 12 days time to gather all this. Not his top performance but no bad either.

“Even though Hatake didn't disappoint considering the sum we payed him, I still recognize some of the tricks used to hide the truth. He confirmed that this is just a front, a smokescreen.” Fugaku waved the folder in his hand, indicating that he wouldn't believe Itachi's lies. “What really happened couldn't be found, at least not from him. He said your real file is and I quote, top-secret and above his pay-grade. I might not be a detective anymore, but I still know what it means. Itachi, we know you were at a government school so it wasn't too hard to guess. Just tell us what it was.”

After a moment of consideration, Itachi asked. “Who else knows about this file?”

“Why?” Mikoto asked, “Is it important?”

“Who else?”

“No one, just us and Hatake.”

“Itachi, what were you doing in that eight years? Was it for the government?”

Mikoto wiped her tears away and placed a hand on his face. “You can't blame us for worrying. We are your parents. We should never have let you go to that school.”

“It was my decision,” Itachi corrected them. What he did wasn't their responsibility. It was his alone.

“No, you were just a child. We thought that school was good for you, but look at you!” She sobbed. “You left for eight years, Itachi! I didn't see you in almost a decade, only the occasional phone call or postcard. That isn't what a mother wants when she sends her son to an elite school!”

Fugaku opened his file and flipped to a page with different photos and tickets. “You have to indulge in our curiosity. Here states you've been all over the world, doing something that's blacked out.” He picked a photograph from the file. “And this man, is this the Hidan character? Were you... were you involved?”

Itachi tensed. Well, that question was coming anyway. “No.”

“Itachi, don't be like this,” His mother said, taking the picture from his father. “If this is about...” she swallowed, “about you being gay, we already guessed. And we are okay with it. We still love you and you're still our son. You shouldn't have secrets from us.”

Itachi drew himself out of their reach. He placed a hand on his elbow, as if hugging himself. “No, it's not that. But if you must know, yes, I prefer men.”

Fugaku expertly masked his surprise just as Mikoto tried not to cry again. They both put on their brave faces and Itachi appreciated the effort.

“Do you have a lover?” Mikoto promptly asked. “If you do, I don't mind inviting him to the summer party. It's okay. It's the 21th century, we can accept it.”

“Is it this Hidan character? Or that Deidara?” His father held up the photo. Itachi remembered that day. It was so long ago in the German city of Munich. After a week of rain and storm, they just couldn't resist the bright sunny day. It was near the river where Hidan had bought them all ice-creams just so he could make a lot of jokes about sucking and licking. The photo was taken just then when Itachi mouthed his treat while Hidan leaned down to whisper naughty things in his ear.

“No,” Itachi shook his head and looked away from the evidence of a happier time. “Hidan is not my boyfriend.” He swallowed and suppressed his coming tears. “I... I don't have a boyfriend.”

“Itachi?” Mikoto and her female intuition drew closer, placing a hand on his cheek. “What is it then? You were such a happy boy when you left us, but now... it's like you don't care anymore.”

“Have you been to a doctor?” Fugaku suddenly asked. He looked down at the picture, at a smiling and blushing Itachi and sighed. “Are you sick? Is it depression?”

“No,” Itachi said immediately.

“PTSD?”

Itachi narrowed his eyes. “I'm fine. I can handle myself. There's nothing you need to worry about. My duty to Uchiha Enterprise will not suffer.”

“I'm not worried about that, Itachi.” His father said, somewhat relieved. “I'm just worrying about you. You do show symptoms of mental illness. First your reserved manner, your eating disorder and then your friends. I can't say I know you, but I didn't figure you to be one for casual sex.”

“Not that it's wrong to engage in a sexual relationship with a man,” Mikoto elbowed her husband. “We just want you to be happy again.”

Itachi nodded. “I appreciate that. But please do not spy on me again, it's... not safe.”

“What do mean not safe?”

“I can't tell you what I did for the government,” Itachi explained. “And I trust in your discretion not the let anyone know about this file, especially not Sasuke. I don't want him to be involved. The file please, Father.”

Fagaku hesitantly handed the file over. “What are you going to do with it?”

He didn't answer to that. “Thank your for your time. I better leave you now. Please, don't worry about me.”

At 23:37, Itachi locked his file in the conceived compartment under his bed and added another mark to his wall.

  


**Act II:**

**Day 999, 21:11**

It was the first time they sat down together as a family after Itachi confronted them. He waited patiently as the food was served and kept mostly to himself during their entire meal. He registered their conversation, mostly about Sasuke's study at the University and his future with the Uchiha Enterprise. Mikoto chatted away about her summer party, the one annual event she put most of her effort into. Itachi didn't miss that his mother was throwing him glances, not so subtly urging him to bring a date.

“Mom, Itachi's not gonna bring a girl!” Sasuke said eventually near the end of their family dinner, rolling his eyes.

“Oh sweetie, I know.” Mikoto chuckled.

Sasuke almost choked on his tomato sorbet, then tried to cover it by taking his drink. He threw a glance at Itachi and then at his mother, asking hundreds of questions with his eyes. “So...” he slowly started, “you know?”

“I think his friends were a good indication.” his mother chuckled.

“Oh,” Sasuke blushed slightly, daring a glance at his father who tried very hard to banish every emotion from his face. Even though he said that he accepted Itachi the way he was, the genius knew better than to push his luck.

“Sasuke,” Itachi said, putting his spoon down. “There is no need to discuss my preferences at dinner.”

“When else are we going to discuss it?” The teenager snapped. “I'm going back to dorm next week, then I don't get to see you for another three months.”

“Sasuke,” Fugaku said, cutting his son short, “your brother is very busy. And his preferences are his business. Until your brother decides to introduce us to his partner, we will respect his wish.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Sasuke gaped at them, looking between them as if he had been betrayed. “Since when are you two on the same page?”

“We were just....” his father's speech was interrupted by the chime of a phone in Itachi's pocket.

“Itachi,” Mikoto scolded softly. “we agreed not to play with phones during dinner.”

Itachi didn't listen to her. He took the device out of his pocket and stared at it in astonishment. This phone had been in his pocket for 999 days and it had been silence for almost as long as that. When he pressed his thumb to the scanner to unlock the phone, Itachi heard Sasuke whistle. The display flashed to life, telling him on an unread but urgent message.

  


**_Unknown 21:16:_ ** im alive need evac

  


Itachi gasped as he reread the message three times, the voices of his protesting mother and pestering brother completely forgotten in the background. His heart was in his throat, cutting off his air support and any sense of normalcy. All he could see were the letters on his screen, calling for help.

In an instant of impulse, Itachi pushed away from the table. He walked three steps towards the door then stared back down at his phone. He felt his knees grow weak and something very hot on his cheeks. He couldn't stop himself and pressed both his hands to his face. The emotion just came over him, spreading through him like warm fire. He trembled, his limbs too feeble to do anything else. He let his tears flow out of him, all the hurt pooled inside over the past years streaming out of him in waves.

He only noticed that he was ignoring his family when the phone in his hand started beeping again. This time it wasn't the soft sound that gave him hope, but one that drove adrenaline through his blood. The intrusive siren continued as the device vibrated with a force that made Itachi's teeth clatter. He looked down, seeing the warning that popped up in angry red letters.

In that moment, Itachi's instincts took over. He jumped up to his feet, seeing his parents and brother each take a step back. Their faces were pushed close into his vision, each of them carrying a different kind of worry.

“What's wrong?”

“Come with me!” he shouted instead, grabbing his mother's arm. “Father, Sasuke, follow me! We have to get out of there!”

“What's going on?” Sasuke shouted after him as Itachi tried to drag his mother with him. “Itachi!”

“We have a boogie incoming!” He shouted, returning to his training in an instant.

Mikoto was struggling in his grasp, trying to rip herself free. “What are you doing, Itachi? You're hurting me!”

“A boogie!” Itachi shouted anew and promptly lifted her up to his shoulder. He ignored her scream and turned to gesture towards his other family members. “A missile is headed for the house! Come on, I have a saferoom downstairs.”

“A what?”

“What are you talking about? A missile?”

“Where is Obito?” Itachi shouted into the entrance hall, cursing that his uncle wasn't close by. When Obito came out of the side room, wiping his hand on a kitchen towel, he stopped dead in Itachi's sight, gaping at the Mikoto who had stopped struggling on Itachi's shoulder. “Obito, incoming! Take her to the basement, wine storage! I'll be right behind you.”

Obito took Mikoto from Itachi's shoulder, “what are you going to do?”

“I have to evacuate everyone.”

“I send them home after half an hour ago.”

That was good news. Instead of heading for the kitchen, Itachi took hold of Sasuke's arm. “Come on, follow me.” They had no time for explanations, he had to get his family to safety first. As they passed one door after the other, Itachi kept glancing down at his angry blaring phone. The warning sign that popped up repeatedly covered a tactical map of the Uchiha Manor with a timer that constantly counted down.

“ETA, Itachi?” Obito asked as he fumbled with the key to the storage room.

“2 minutes.” Itachi pushed him aside and kicked the door down, accompanied with a shrill scream from his mother. He pushed them inside and headed directly for the farthest roll on the back. He turned a bottle in its stand, making a stone in the wall pull back, revealing a console set in the wall. It needed a code memorized in his brain, a hand print and voice confirmation. Sometimes Itachi cursed his own paranoia. When the data was processed only seconds later, an entire portion of the wall retreated, revealing a hidden door.

“Seriously?” Sasuke sneered when Itachi pushed him through it. “You couldn't be more cliché?”

“Down the hall, get in the car!” Itachi ordered as they ran for his armored vehicle parked at the end.

“Itachi, how did you?” Obito wondered when they passed Itachi's collections of weapons and tech.

“Get some weapons then get in the car!” Itachi shouted, going for his favorite model of assault rifles. He added a katana to his arsenal as his preferred melee weapon and grabbed as much ammunition as he could. “Sasuke, get in the back and don't touch anything!”

“Why? I called shotgun!”

“Not now!”

“Why Obito?”

“Because he has a gun, now shut up and get in!” Itachi slammed his own door shut and started the engine. His armored vehicle roared into life just as his phone started beeping even more violently. He charged through the barely open garage door and followed a long tunnel lit only by red emergency lights.

The countdown ran out and Itachi shouted. “Hold on!”

The ground shook beneath them, debriefs falling from the ceiling. The screams of his mother was covered by the sound of explosion from behind them, fire and rocks catching up with them from the direction of the house. Itachi had no time to think about who had send missiles at them or why, his only focus now on the semi-darkness in front of them.

“Faster, Itachi!” Obito shouted, his eyes set on the flames that was rushing through the tunnel.

In situation like this, Itachi didn't analyze. He only reacted. He didn't stop for the falling structure and ignored the sounds his panicked passengers made. He pushed his foot down on the pedal, drawing everything from his modified vehicle. He pressed his teeth together, his hands firmly grasping the wheel. With adrenaline flowing and his heart pumping faster than even before, Itachi pierced out of the tunnel in a flight.

They all groaned when the car landed on the forest floor. Itachi didn't stop. He drove on, without light and without pause. The sky around them was red from the fire, the air filled with smoke. From his rear-mirror, Itachi could see his childhood home in flames, it's structure barely standing from the bombardment. His mother cried, her tears shimmering the fire light. In that moment, Itachi was very very sorry.

“Incoming, four o'clock.” Obito announced from next to him, already checking the rifle he had taken from Itachi's arsenal. “Two choppers.”

“I see them.” He confirmed, steering their car in another direction. “Everyone, buckle up.”

Survival wasn't all about skills. Luck was a great factor and Itachi prayed that whoever was coming to search for them wouldn't notice the car that had just came out of nowhere in the forest around Uchiha Manor. But luck was not with him today. As soon as they left the burning forest around them, the two helicopters Obito had spotted turned their searchlights on them. Itachi hated searchlights. He narrowed his eyes when their beams hit his mirrors, blinding him momentarily. With all his concentration and skills, Itachi steered the vehicle around trees and rocks, the thundering noise of his pursuers right behind him.

“They're gaining on us!” Sasuke yelled from the seat in the back. “Faster, Itachi!”

“Obito, do you still know how to aim?” he punched a few buttons on his dashboard, activating the rear defenses of his modified car. “Aim for the joins! Shoot them down!”

“Woah!” The butler gasped, his hands hovering tentatively over the controls of the rear-gun that extended out from under the glove-compartment. “This is a lot more advanced than what I learned in basic.”

The bullets that hissed through the air wasn't from Itachi's gun. Sasuke and Mikoto both screamed when the first wave hit the roof of the car, ducking down instinctively. Fugaku leaned over his cowering son and wife, holding a hand over his head. “Itachi, get us out of here!”

“Return fire, Obito!” Itachi shouted, praying that they weren't using anti-armor rounds. He could see the repeating guns mounted on the sides of the helicopters, their barrels hot from the continued barrage. Quickly, the vision from his rear-window was completely covered by the shatters in the glass, made by fortunately normal rounds.

Next to him, Obito pushed down on the trigger. The small machine-gun mounted on his roof started blasting lead itself, piercing through the air towards the joints of the helicopters. The two pilots pulled back, not risking being hit in favor of pounding down Itachi's plating. For what felt like only a few minutes, Itachi could concentrate on the forest instead of his killers.

“Uh-oh, they're coming back!” Obito said, watching his target on the small monitor just below the glove-compartment.

“Stay down, everyone!” Itachi barked.

This time, his pursuer didn't send more bullets his way, instead, two men dropped out of the open hatch. Clad completely in black, they landed on the roof of Itachi's car sure-footed, each holding a large caliber and each with a sword on their backs. Itachi steered the car wildly across the soft forest floor, trying to shake his two attackers off. But whoever they were, they received the same training Itachi did. Dodging and changing their center, both men stayed right where they were.

“Obito, take over!” Itachi ordered. He didn't wait for his uncle to take the wheel, but started climbing out of the seat. With a nimble flip, he landed on the roof just as the first bullet hissed past his ear. Itachi rolled forward, his sword aimed at the ankle of his first attacker. The man jumped up with a flip, caught his partner's hand and swung back to kick at the Uchiha. Itachi bend backwards, temporarily making contact with the forage. He heard Mikoto's panic gasp when one of his foot landed on her side of the window for a brief moment, before catapulting himself up to the roof again. Standing between his two attackers, Itachi knew what he had to do.

The hand to hand fight was brutal. He dodged their fire and parried their swords. He swung around to disarm his gunman number one. Catching his outstretched arm in a bone crashing hold, Itachi dislocated his attacker's shoulder and forced him to drop his gun. The second charged at him, his sword held high and sinking down fast. Itachi lifted his own blade just in time when the first gunman escaped his grasp, clutching his shoulder in pain.

The stalemate lasted only a few second before shots were fired again. This time, the second man was prepared for Itachi's disarming technique. He rolled out of the way, letting his partner pin Itachi down in a brutal duel of the swords that pushed the genius to the windshield. Trying not to lose more ground, the genius ducked down, slashing at the man's legs. Blood splashed into his face as his blade cut through flesh and bone. The man's body fell backward, rolling off the roof and exposing Itachi to the other man's direct line of fire.

He only saw the muzzle fire and felt the force of impact that threw him back onto the hood. A moment later, the assailant landed on the windshield, his gun pointed at Itachi's head. The genius reacted instinctively. With a whirl, he kicked the man off his footing, throwing him off the car. The moment when the man's skull crashed against the nearest tree, Obito had taken them too far to hear the crack of bones. With blood quickly flowing down his arm and robbing him of his hold, Itachi swung back into the vehicle and took the wheel that Obito just vacated.

“We shook them off,” Obito panted. “The choppers pulled back when the two men dropped down.”

“They let us go,” Itachi said, ripping the sleeve off where his arm had been injured.

“You're hurt!” Fugaku gasped, his voice shaky.

“Just a flesh wound.” Itachi reassured him. “Obito, there's a first aid kit in the glove compartment. I need you to stop the bleeding.”

“Itachi, let me drive,” Obito offered instead.

“Just stop the bleeding,” the genius insisted. “You can drive when we're on the road.”

As his uncle bandaged Itachi's upper arm as carefully as he could in this shaky vehicle without any light, Itachi pulled his trusted car further into the forest. Until they finally made it onto a scarcely used road miles away from the Uchiha Manor, no one in the car dared speak up. Mikoto was still fighting unconsciousness, her eyes drifting out of focus many times. Sasuke too must be in shock, their mother held firmly in his arms. Fugaku on the other side looked as if he was deciding if he should speak up or waiting for a better time.

The moment of opportunity was cut short as Itachi's com-system activated itself, making all the civilians jump. “Scorpion Delta, come in!” said the cheerful voice loudly, “you're 65 klicks from where you're supposed to be. If you don't answer in three seconds, I'll detonate the bomb in your gas tank. Believe me, I have....”

“I'm here,” Itachi replied firmly. “I have civilians with me.”

“Knock, knock, who's there?” his dashboard said, “who's driving?”

“It's me!” Itachi snapped. Sometimes he really hated their operator.

“Confirm your identity anyway!” the voice sing-songed. “I haven't heard your voice for so long, I think I forgot it.”

“This is no time for jokes! I was just attacked at my home. Uchiha Manor was blown up, tell me who launched those missiles!”

“I'm not sure yet,” his operator said, “stand by while I check. Ah, here. Oh, it's domestic, no wonder we didn't pick it up until it's too late. Mhm, not authorized and trail scrubbed clean. That will take us a while. Stand by, pretty boy.”

Itachi severed the connection for now and turned to see his family. “Are you alright? Anyone hurt?”

“They're in shock,” Fugaku answered, trying to be the center of calm here.

“I'm sorry. Just hold on for a while longer. We'll be safe soon.”

“Itachi,” Sasuke said feebly, slowly raising his eyes to meet his in the mirror. “What's going on here?”

“Someone is trying to kill me.”

“I think that's obvious,” his father stated. “Who are those men?”

“I'm not certain,” Itachi swallowed. “They could be anyone.”

“They had very good training,” Obito added. “Black op? ANBU?”

Itachi didn't answer. He kept his eyes on the road and smoothly maneuvered them into the Friday night traffic on the outskirts of Konoha.

“Itachi, I think we deserve an answer!” Sasuke hissed, still holding their mother. “We just almost got blown up because of you.”

Obito took a better look at the interior of the car now that the streetlights illuminated some of their surroundings. “I saw your ordnance back at your batcave, all military grade, hardly something for a rich collector. The men that followed us, they were ANBU, weren't they? Who are you, Itachi?”

Fugaku gasped at the back, his hand tensing in its grip on Obito's backrest. “Are _you_ with ANBU?”

“Was,” Itachi corrected. “I don't do that anymore.”

“You left ANBU?” Obito seemed aghast.

“Discharged.”

“Medical?”

“Honorable.”

“So what, you just quit ANBU?” His uncle said it as if it was a bad thing.

“Yes,” Itachi snapped. “I just quit!”

“But why?”

“Hold on!” Sasuke hissed. “What's all this about? What's ANBU?”

“Konoha Secret service,” Fugaku explained instead of Itachi. “Government Elite Black Op squad, specialized in covert and high-risk missions. What's was your specs? Tactic? Recon? Assassinations?”

“It's classified,” Itachi said instead.

Sasuke choked on air. He swallowed the lump in his throat and gaped at Itachi. “You are a government assassin?”

“I was!” He insisted. “I'm not anymore!”

“But why, Itachi?” Obito still wanted to know. He almost touched Itachi's arm to shake him but then remembered just in time that it was his wounded arm. “Why would you leave ANBU? Why did you abandon your brothers?”

“What do you know of ANBU?” Itachi hissed at him. “It's not all guts and glory! It's dark and dangerous, it rips you apart! But I don't expect you to understand.”

“Because I'm a civilian?” Obito rasped, his tone defensive that masked his pain.

“Because you were a trainee!” Itachi glowered. “I read your file, I know what happened to you. ANBU was your dream, you'd do anything to return to their ranks. Just because you couldn't stay long enough to see its dark side, don't judge me for leaving!”

The car was silent after Itachi's outburst. He tried to calm himself with breathing exercises and kept his eyes on the road. He couldn't face his family right now, not when everything he tried to hide was about to be revealed. He could feel Sasuke and Fugaku's eyes on him while Obito tried very hard not to look. After ten miles of suppressing silence, Itachi activated his com again.

“Wraith to base, come in.” he said, hoping that at least his operator could give him some good news. “I repeat, this is Wraith with Scorpion Delta, base, please come in.”

“Yes, yes, I'm here!” The chirpy male voice answered. “was just about to call you. What's your status?”

“On route,” Itachi reported. “I have to assume that my safehouses in the city are compromised, too.”

“Three of your safehouses got bombed, sorry.”

“I have more. But I have civilians with me, one of them might need medical attention.”

“Oh, what's wrong with him?”

Itachi threw a glance at his mother in the mirror. “She looks like she might have a heart attack. Pale, shallow breathes, unfocused gaze.”

“I think your girlfriend is just in shock,” Tobi laughed. “I wonder why. If I'm dating you, I'd be in shock, too. Oh, don't listen to me, I'm just kidding.”

“Tobi!” Itachi snapped. “I'm on route to Safehouse Midori. Call everyone in, please.”

“ _What?_ ” the operator shrieked. Itachi could firmly imagine how Tobi looked right now. “Everyone? Why everyone? They are all over the world, some of them doing really nasty business! Leader is going to take my head if I call them and it's just false alarm. He's probably gonna scold your, too. You can't just disappear for a couple of years and suddenly call everyone in!”

“I have intel on Poseidon.”

The line was suddenly silent. Obito looked to Itachi in alarm, while Sasuke and Fugaku both caught their breaths. In the next instant, the channel cracked to life, joined by a deep male voice.

“This is Pain. Wraith, do you copy?”

Itachi felt a tremor rush through his body. Next to him, Obito pressed one hand to his mouth while he fanned himself with the other. He looked to Sasuke and Fugaku, frantically waving at them to be still even though they weren't doing anything out of the ordinary.

“This is Wraith, I copy, Pain.” Itachi answered, his voice suddenly void of any emotions. “What's going on?”

“You've been compromised.” the deep voice explained. “Come to Base 42. I will assemble the team.”

“What about my family? I can't just leave them, not right now.”

“If they hold your trust, bring them to base.” Pain offered. “I will take your word for it.”

“Yes, Sir.”

The line went dead again and Itachi sighed out. It had been years since he last spoke to Pain. Though their last conversation ended badly, Itachi still missed this deep smooth voice sometimes. He chuckled to himself and conjured the map of Base 42 into his mind. He was already calculating the best route when Obito shifted next to him with tense curiosity. He breathed out shakily when Itachi's didn't object, making the other passengers do the same.

“So,” Obito eventually started, his voice forced casual. “Pain?”

“Pain?” Sasuke asked. He looked from his brother to his uncle and then to his father, only to come back to stare at Itachi as if his persistence would ever yield result.

“You are working with Pain?” Obito gave up his composure and openly gaped at Itachi in awe. When he spoke again, his voice carried a dreamy tone. “I thought you must be good from I saw today, but not _that_ good! Are you? Was that really _the_ Pain I think it is? _That_ Pain?”

“Who is _that_ Pain?” Sasuke mocked. “What's so special about him?”

“He's my squad leader,” Itachi sighed, rubbing his eyes. “ _Was_ my squad leader.”

“Another ANBU agent?”

“Oh no, no,” Obito exclaimed, not taking his eyes off Itachi. “Pain isn't just a simple ANBU. He's much much better! I didn't even think he was real!”

Fugaku lifted a brow as Itachi threw Obito an irritated glance. “What do you know about him?”

“I heard stories and I keep up with my intels,” Obito shrugged. “Old habits die hard. When I was in training, there was a lot of talk about Pain. Supposedly, he's the best of the best. An idealist with phenomenal skills that had earned him a very special spot in the business. He gathers only the very best around him, a small elite team that works under his directions. These soldiers, or angels as they are called, are all hand-picked from the best divisions of world's intelligence agencies. Together, they work independently on an international level without supervision. Apparently, the governments of the world trust Pain enough to give him the freedom of choosing his missions. They are also acting as a buffer between all the powers.”

“An international police department? I've never heard of it.” Fugaku said.

“I'm sure you did, Sir,” Obito said. “The Akatsuki are the best. When a country has a problem they can't solve themselves, they ask the Akatsuki for help. Pain and his angels then just take over the mission and gets it done. They do have the option to say no if the task conflicts with their moral beliefs. That's what makes them so special. Normal people don't get to meet the Akatsuki. They just show up, take over, get it done and collect their payment.”

“So they just high class mercenaries,” Sasuke didn't look very impressed.

“The Akatsuki is more than just guns for hire! They have their own code, acting as a moral guideline for the world. I hear they mostly strike at criminal organizations, corruption and terrorism. Those angels are heroes!” Obito sighed out longingly. “To be chosen by Pain is the highest honor an agent could ask for. Once you become an angel, you dine with the crème d’la crème of the intelligence community. The Akatsuki is legendary! Every single one of that group is a formidable fighter, expert marksman and specialist in his own field. They are celebrities in our business. Some even say that Pain is a god and that he single-handedly....”

“Enough with the ghost stories,” Itachi grunted, glowing at the dark road ahead. “Pain isn't god, he's just a man.”

“So you _are_ an angel!” Obito gasped at him as if Itachi suddenly grew a pair of white wings.

“I'm not an angel!” he hissed and rolled his eyes. “We don't call ourselves angels. That's just stupid trainee talk.”

“But you are with Akatsuki?” Obito pushed, barely able to contain his excitement.

“It's beyond top-secret,” Itachi said, exchanging a glance with his father.

“Damn, an Akatsuki, right next to me. Oh god, now I get it. If I was chosen to be an angel, I'd quit ANBU too.”

Fugaku cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself. “Is this true, Itachi? Are you with Akatsuki? Am I founding my own son all these years?”

Right, Uchiha Enterprise was one of the main benefactor of Akatsuki, together with hundreds of other top companies all over the world. They spend millions each year, awarding it into a fond that sustained Akatsuki's pricy equipment. For the great moguls of economy, supporting Akatsuki was like donating for an exclusive charity program. Because of Akatsuki's strict policy of accepting only clean money and the most advanced tech in R&D, many companies competed for such prestige.

“I was,” Itachi admitted when they passed the next intersection. “But I quit.”

“How long have you been with Akatsuki?”

“About five years before I came back.” Itachi said.

His father nodded, not bothering to hide the pride in his expression. Not everyday did a man learn that his son was one of the eight best agents in the world. Itachi tried to smile at him as a silent thank you, but was too tired to do so. Even though it hadn't been three hours since their family dinner, he felt as if the world of the fake prince of Konoha was years in the past. With the adrenaline burned out in their systems, the civilians slowly drifted to sleep one after one.

  


**Day 1000, 08:32**

**Landing bay, Base 42, Unknown**

Itachi pulled Scorpion Delta into the underground bunker of Base 42 just as Mikoto woke from her slumber. They were greeted by a Deidara clad in brown tactical gear who jumped into Itachi's arms as soon as he put both feet on the ground.

“I'm so glad you're okay,” he muttered into Itachi's shoulder. “I was actually worried about you. But then I thought that a couple missiles can't take you out, hn!”

“Thanks for coming on short notice,” Itachi said, rubbing at his stiff joints.

“You!” Sasuke hissed from behind them, his chin slowly dropping down to the floor. “So this is how you really know each other? You're an Akatsuki, too?”

“Oh look, it's the foolish little brother!” Deidara huffed, flipping his long blond hair behind his shoulder. “Why so grumpy? Didn't get your good night's sleep?”

“Don't tease him,” Itachi took his equip from the car. “He's not used to this.”

“Morning grumpiness runs in the family, I see.” Deidara slapped Itachi's good arm. He turned back towards Sasuke and smirked. “Come on now, kitty cat, follow me into the lion's den.”

Itachi rolled his eyes. “Mother, are you alright?” Mikoto nodded, though not very convincingly. “We better get you checked out. Deidara, is Kakuzu here?”

“He's set everything up,” the blond nodded, typing a series of codes into the security panel. “But don't talk to him, he's not in a good mood. He says that your safehouses cost a fortune. I don't know why he's bothering, it's not even his money! But anyway, he's attacked Hidan twice already, so don't irk him.”

The security door opened with a hiss, exposing the elevator at the end of the dark, wet corridor. Base 42 wasn't the biggest or the best equipped. What it lacked in luxury, it made up in security. Located ten stories underground, this Base provided excellent cover for those who wished to disappear for a while. But sadly, in exchanged for safety, it scarified privacy, cramping everything into a large room.

Itachi apologized to his mother for the lack of solitude when he placed her on a medical bed behind a separating screen. He held her hand as she laid down with his father sitting on the other side who said nothing but glared a lot. “It won't be long, I promise. Just a few days so I can sort this mess out. I'm so sorry I dragged you into this.”

She smiled weakly at him, patting his hand. “It's alright, Itachi. There might be more preferable circumstances, but considering everything, I'm glad I can be part of your life.”

“Are you really alright, Mother?” She didn't seem to realize the severity of this situation.

“I'm fine, it's not the first time I'm under gunfire. I had my run-ins with criminals before I married your father.”

“It's still no excuse for endangering your life,” Itachi sighed. “I will make this up to you.”

She struggled between a sob and a smile. “I just wish you wouldn't need to do this, but I know you must. Your father was a police-man when we met, I never wanted to feel that way again, knowing that someone I love is in danger.”

“Me neither, Mother,” Itachi smiled down at her. “That's why I have to make sure the threat is dealt with.”

“Yes, yes,” she nodded and pulled Fugaku's hand to her. “That's what your father used to say. You're so alike, your sense for duty and justice. What a poor woman I am. I thought when he finally came back to the family business, none of my family needs to risk their lives again.”

“How heartwarming, it really irks me,” the man that interrupted them pushed the screen aside and stopped at Mikoto's bed. “No physical injures, good.”

“Kakuzu,” Itachi greeted. “This is my mother Mikoto and my father Fugaku....”

“I don't care,” the big doctor said, already feeling Mikoto's pulse and pulling out a flashlight to shine in her eyes. “In shock, recovering. Weak heart, not life threatening. I need to check more to be sure.”

Itachi stood and addressed his mother. “This is Kakuzu, our team's medic.”

“I'm a doctor, Wraith,” Kakuzu corrected. “Now get out and get your arm checked.”

Itachi gestured his father to follow and lead him across the room towards the spectator area someone had set up. Each wrapped in a blanket, Sasuke and Obito were sitting on ammunition crates, sipping tea. While Sasuke tried to hide his fascination with everything in here, Obito looked like a child in a candy store.

“I can't believe I'm in an Akatsuki base!”

“Quite underwhelming,” Sasuke snorted. “After what Obito said, I thought you guys would have more... style.”

Itachi refrained from rolling his eyes. “What did you expect?”

“Something like the batcave?” Obito said, trying to be funny.

“Did someone say batcave?” A disembodied voice said from the ceiling. A moment later, a completely white man walked right through Itachi and came to stand before the three guests. “Hello, I'm Alfred.”

“What are you?” Sasuke gasped, his face contorted in disgust.

“I'm the master of the house! Welcome, welcome!” the newcomer chanted. “Feel free to look around, but don't touch anything or I'll poop on you.”

“Are you a ghost?”

“He's an artificial intelligence,” Itachi explained. “This is white Zetsu. His other half is black Zetsu, the real intelligence in charge of our systems and security. Tobi here is a holographic manifestation Zetsu uses to represent himself.”

Obito tilted his head. “Why is he all white?”

“Oh,” Tobi whined. “I was supposed to be a beautiful man, with all tanned skin and long brown hair. But then my graphic file was corrupted and I became this!” He leaned on Itachi's shoulder as if he had any matter and cried falsely. “How cruel! I could have been so pretty, now I'm all weird and white.”

“Oh I'm sorry,” Obito quickly apologized. “I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.”

“Don't listen to Zetsu, he's just messing with you,” Itachi walked past him and sat down on one of the crates as Deidara approached him with a trail full of medical supplies. “It's not that bad, it just graced me.”

“Okay,” Deidara said and started unwrapping Itachi's bandage. “You're losing your edge, Itachi. Very out of character for you to get hurt. Shouldn't take long, then you can get washed and changed. You know how much Pain hates civilian garb. That man has no taste in fashion at all, hn.”

Obito of course jumped at the mention of his personal superhero. “Is Pain coming here?”

“Yeah, we're just waiting for them. Shouldn't be long, hn.”

After Itachi's wound was properly cleaned and dressed, he took his leave from his family, knowing they were in the company of Tobi. He guessed that the Tobi was probably talking his father to death while Deidara gave out too much classified intel. The blond was always a blabbermouth and never bothered with learning the correct definition of 'classified'. It was fortunate all of Deidara's associates were in the intelligence community themselves.

When Itachi returned from his quick shower where he washed way too much blood from his hair, Deidara had relocated his entire family to an unused corner of the room. He had given them food, which consisted of protein bars and water from bottles. Again, his family didn't protect, but they didn't look too comfortable either.

“Well doesn't this sight bring back memories,” the blond exclaimed when Itachi stepped into the area, again clad in his midnight-black uniform.

The multiple pockets were empty at the moment and his boots weren't laced. He discarded his utility belt for now, choosing only to carry his sidearm for the time being. It didn't surprise him that Pain didn't remove or redistribute his locker for the past three years. Someone even went through the trouble of keeping Itachi's gear in performing condition, as if they always knew he'd return eventually.

“Yeah,” a taller man drawled behind him, one hand on Itachi's waist. Hidan pushed his semi-dried hair out of the way and sniffed at his neck. “Very good memories.”

“Thank you for keeping my stuff intact.”

“Fucking knew you'd come back.” Hidan grinned, squeezing his butt. “Shit on those overpriced suits, this is your second skin.”

“True,” Itachi nodded, binding his hair into his usual ponytail. He caressed the emblem of Akatsuki on his left arm and couldn't hide the smile on his lips.

“So,” Obito started slowly. “Are you two with Akatsuki as well?”

“Surprise, bitch!”

“Didn't you say they are the best?” Sasuke lifted a brow and looked Deidara up and down. “Don't seem very crème d'la crème to me.”

“You fucking know who you're talking to, kid?” Hidan's charge at Sasuke was stopped by Itachi's hand on his chest.

“Stand down, Hidan.” Itachi shook his head. “He's a civilian.”

“Fucking hate civilians!”

“Can he say anything without profanities?”

“No he can't.” Deidara sighed. “You'll get used to it. And that's why we don't let him go on infiltrations. He sucks at that.”

“You suck, Princess.”

“I bite your cock off next time!”

“No maiming of my partner unless it's me,” said the tall doctor from the side who was just escorting Mikoto back to her family.

“Oh,” she gasped, blinking at Hidan in confusion. “My head isn't very clear right now, but aren't you Mr. Hidan who visited us a few months ago?”

“Knew you wouldn't forget me, sweetheart.” Again, Hidan combed through his own hair with his hand.

“Hidan,” Itachi warned while Fugaku quickly took his wife into his arms, “she is my mother.”

“Welcome!” Tobi jumped up and down between the gathered members like a small child. “We don't get to see a lot of ladies, so double welcome! Can I get you anything, mylady? A tea? Coffee? A hot towel maybe?”

“Oh, that's very lovely. A tea would be great.”

“Okay,” Tobi sang and disappeared just to reappear at the entrance to their small kitchen. “Coming right away.”

“Oh, the hospitality is really heartwarming,” Mikoto said, thanking her hosts with a bright smile. Itachi guessed that she still hadn't recovered yet and was taking all this way too lightly. “But Itachi, how about a proper introduction? Who are these kind people here?”

Sasuke slapped his forehead while Obito nodded frantically in agreement.

“That's actually classified.” Itachi reminded them.

“Oh come on! We're inside of your super secret base!” Obito whined. “I know a lot about you, and I've always wanted to meet you guys! You're my heroes!”

“A fucking fan, great!” Hidan slapped his big hand on his shoulder. “Would you like to know the way of Jashin?”

“Stop converting my uncle!” Itachi snapped.

“So you really are a priest?” Sasuke seemed very hung up on that idea.

“Are you _The Priest_?” Obito gasped. “The greatest interrogator in the world? The holy man of the crossroads?”

“Haven't heard that name in a while, but yeah, that's fucking me!” Hidan said, pointing at himself. “Priest of the one and only true god, Jashin!”

Deidara rolled his eyes. “No one is interested in your cult, Hidan! I'm Deidara but call me the artist!”

“His codename is Princess Bang,” Itachi deadpanned.

“Shut up, freak! I'm an artist! My bombs are art! I'm _The Artist_!”

Obito stopped himself from laughing by biting down on his lips. He looked from Deidara to Hidan and then nodded, as if he finally solved a difficult puzzle. “And the others?”

“That over there is Kakuzu, the Immortal, our team's surgeon and procurement specialist.” Itachi said.

“Why the Immortal?” Fugaku asked, surveying the big man with curiosity.

“'cause he can't be killed,” Hidan answered. “He's like cockroach! Believe me, I tired.”

“And that jailbait over there?” Sasuke hinted with his chin.

“Sasori, the Puppetmaster.”

“ _The_ puppetmaster?” Obito gasped. “The greatest hacker in the world? Word is he's a tech genius, as long as it has power, he can rig it.”

“Pretty much,” Itachi nodded.

“And you?” Fugaku wanted to know. “I heard your codename is Wraith. What your specialty?”

“Strategy and infiltration.”

“That's just five out of eight,” Obito counted. “And there is still Pain. Where are the others?”

“Konan should be arriving with Pain,” Deidara said.

“And then there's Poseidon, but he's dead.” Tobi sang as he let a bot bring Mikoto her tea. “Oops, was that insensitive of me?”

“Aw shit.” Hidan cursed and snapped at Tobi. “Just piss off!”

“What's wrong? Who's Poseidon?”

Itachi tried not to feel the hurt in his chest. Through all the hectic and actions, he didn't really think about the message that was the beginning of all this mess. Swallowing hard, Itachi turned around and simply left his family behind. He didn't care for the pitying 'ohs' when Deidara said “His partner” nor the astonished gasps when Hidan added, “Got himself blown up a few years back, right in front of Itachi. Not a fucking thing we could do.”

He leaned against the giant computer Sasori was working at and handed him his phone in silence. He followed the digital trail of the message and lost count when the tech specialist locked into the Akatsuki satellite. After staring at nothing but codes and redirected codes for minutes, the red-head unplugged Itachi's phone from his computer and shook his head. Sighing, the usually quiet man managed a soft “Sorry.”

The alarm-system chimed to life a few moments later, telling them that the central hatch was being activated. Itachi watched with mixed feeling on the monitors as their stealth-jet landed in the hanger and powered down. The two passengers that would exit it weren't caught on camera, but Itachi didn't really worry. He waited patiently until the front gate was opened again, revealing the man with multiple piercings and bright orange hair.

“Itachi,” Pain said, stepping up to the tactical desk in the middle. “Good to have you back.”

“Good to be back,” the raven replied. He turned towards Konan who offered him a warm smile. He followed her signal to join her and ended up back at his family’s side. “Konan, I want you to meet my parents, my brother and my uncle. I believe you know their names.”

“Welcome.” Not counting Itachi, Konan was the only one in Akatsuki who abide to the rules of courtesy. “It's a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it would be under better circumstance. Please feel free to relax, you're safe for now.”

“Thank your for having us,” Fugaku stood and extended a hand. “We deeply appreciate your hospitality.”

“You are welcome,” she shook Fugaku's hand briefly. “Now if you would excuse us, we have much to discuss. Itachi, Deidara, Hidan, briefing in five.”

Itachi waited until Konan was out of earshot before addressing his gaping uncle. “You wanted to know who we are? That woman you just met is the best pilot on earth. She is the true Angel.”

  


**Day 1001, 10:30**

The tactical table was lid when all the remaining Akatsuki members gathered around the center. They each occupied a crate, with only Sasori rolling around in his modified high-tech wheelchair. “I’ve been scanning all channels and frequencies since the attack, the missiles were launched from this base, 50 kilometers to the south of Konoha. Impact at the Uchiha Manor was 21:22 last night, six minutes after Itachi received this message.”

  


**_Unknown 21:16:_ ** im alive need evac

  


“The massage and the missiles were sent with only two minute interval. The signal source for both the text and the hack was somewhere here,” Sasori zoomed out an area of the map that was further away to the north. “I think they are tiled together. Whoever send Itachi that fake message also tried to kill him.”

“Like a missile could kill Itachi!” Hidan barked, putting his feet up on Kakuzu's crate.

“The two I killed were well trained,” Itachi added. “Probably from the same agency I came from. The choppers were too easy to shake. They purposely let us go.”

“What purpose?” Kakuzu asked.

“It's a trap,” Konan analyzed. “A fake message, a clean trail? They're baiting us.”

“The question is who.” Itachi mused.

“We don't lack enemies,” Kakuzu said. “There are bounties on our heads, each of us at least 50 millions, Pain and Itachi both leading with 100 millions each. Together, we make at least half a billion. Enough to motivate just about anyone.”

“I have a bounty on my head?” Deidara gasped. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“Princess Bang is listed for 70 millions.”

“Princess Bang, but not Deidara!” Tobi jumped out of the holotable, waving his arms in the air. “Until now, our identities are still in tact. Except for Itachi, of course. Too bad for you, Wraith.”

“It was my home they attacked, I have to presume they know who I am.”

“You safehouses were raided as well,” Sasori said. “Whoever did this knows your MO. You better plug that hole fast.”

“You all have made a name for yourselves before you joined me,” Pain reminded them. “Your respective leaders approved of your transfer. They are all aware of our activities, though not in details. We're not vigilantes, though we do operate with some anonymity. But if one of them sold us out, it means war with Akatsuki. I do not tolerate unprovoked aggression against any of us.”

“Fuck yeah!” Hidan hollered. “You fuck with one of us, you fuck with all of us.”

Tobi burst out laughing, then pressed both his hands on his mouth when Pain silenced him with a glare. “The list of people wanting to kill Itachi isn't short.”

Konan opened a new case-file and started gathering all relevant data. “It must be someone powerful, capable of launching domestic missiles without leaving a trail.”

“He knows about me and Kisame,” Itachi glowered. “Otherwise, he wouldn't have send the message first. He probably has access to my file and insight in our activities. He said 'im alive', which means he has seen the uncensored report of my last mission. Finding out where I am on a Friday night isn't difficult, but attacking all my safehouses simultaneously demands some logistic effort.”

“So we're looking for a big player,” Deidara said. “Anyone comes to mind?”

“A few, but none of them has an urgent reason to eliminate me right now.” Itachi said. “I've been dormant the last few years, besides I'm not exactly anonymous these days. Whoever did this has reason enough to cause a scandal and upset the balance.”

“Anything you did that might have provoked them?” Pain lifted a brow.

Itachi shook his head when Tobi jumped up and down again, lifting his hand as if in a classroom. “There's a lot of talk about Itachi at the ANBU base. I picked it up when I was just doing my rounds around the world.”

Sasori pulled the picture of a man up to the screen. “Here, Hatake Kakashi. Ex ANBU captain, retired. He's working as a private detective now. Uchiha Fugaku hired him to investigate Itachi's past last month. He met up with his contacts in ANBU and then tried to access Itachi's file. I blocked him, but it didn't help. I've been getting a lot of pings on Itachi ever since.”

“Looks like he kicked the hornet's nest,” Konan said.

“I compromised you?” Fugaku breathed. He had abandoned his crate in the corner was was drawing close steadily, his face a mask of horror. “I brought this on?”

“Father, we're in the middle of a briefing, please don't interfere.” Itachi turned back to his team. “Something here looks familiar. I don't think any bounty hunter dares to attack me. This is someone we know. It's personal.”

“I agree,” Pain said, “using Kisame to upset you is a smart move. I gather he knows about your medical condition and has access to your psyc evals. Do you have enemy in ANBU? Someone who might hold a grudge against you?”

“There's Danzou. We never saw eye to eye and he has reasons to silence me.”

“Black op?”

“Before I joined Akatsuki, I was leading an investigation against him.” Itachi pulled a file from his personal account. “I discovered some unorthodox weapons in his possession and believed them to be the result of illegal human experimentation. My Chief in Command didn't believe me unless I delivered proof. We chased many leads, but couldn't find anything solid. Before we could finish the investigation, my partner was killed. Shortly after that, he arranged for us to meet.”

“So he guessed that I would offer you a position on my team.”

“And he knew that I couldn't possibly decline.”

“But why wait three years?” Konan asked. “If Vice President Danzou really wanted you silenced, he would have ample opportunities in the past. Why now, why this message first?”

“Sasori, are you sure it is not from Kisame?” Itachi asked.

“Kisame is dead, Itachi.” Sasori said, his hands flying over his keyboard. “You should accept it. I'm not wrong. The message and the hack came from the same place. Unless Kisame suddenly wants to kill you, I'm certain it's not him.”

“Kakuzu,” Pain cut in, “any results from the blood on Scorpion?”

“Test is still running. We should know more in a few hours.”

As Konan and Pain added all their intels together, Itachi took a step back and let the greater picture reveal itself. Someone sent him a message to confuse him with emotions. He hacked into a government launch base and linked it to the message. He pursuited Itachi and sent two men to die. He knew who Itachi was, he knew what Itachi did, he knew everything and yet still waited in the shadow. He left them a digital trail, blood to analyze and profile to create. He was firmly inviting Itachi into his domain.

Closing his eyes, Itachi sighed out. “It's a map,” he said. “I'm sure once the blood test is done, we'll know who sent them. The trail leads here, north of Konoha. There are many underground bunkers there, perfect for experimentation. He wants me there, he had wanted me there for years.”

“Oh no!” Deidara whined. “Not him!”

“Who the fuck are you talking about?”

“That was before you joined us,” Sasori explained. “My old partner, Orochimaru. He was a mad scientist, set on creating the perfect human. He had wanted Itachi ever since he joined up.”

“For what?”

“He likes my looks,” Itachi said, “and he considers me the smartest person on earth and wants to vivisect my brain. When he came at me, I cut off his hand.”

“For real now?”

“He replaced his hand with a cybernetic one.” Sasori gritted his teeth. “He stole those plans from me.”

“Why didn't you fucking kill him?”

“We tried!” Sasori barked. “More than once. Orochimaru shouldn't be underestimated.”

“I bombed his whole facility and he somehow survived.”

Hidan slapped his forehead. “Now I remember! He's that scientist we chased all around the world. But he escaped when Kisame....”

“He was there,” Itachi's hands tightened into fists. The table disappeared before his eyes, replacing it with fire and explosions. In the middle of it, a giant man shouting his name. “It's him, I'm certain.” Itachi was shaking now, angry tears gathering in his eyes. “He knows what happened to Kisame. He killed him.”

“Calm down, Itachi.” Konan said. “We don't have proof yet. Let us wait for the result.”

“It's him!” Itachi hissed. “He has Kisame, now he wants me to make the perfect man!”

“If it really is Orochimaru,” Pain said calmly. “We will make him pay. But until then, I need you focused and ready for action.”

“I'll kill him this time,” Itachi promised. “I won't let him slip away again.”

  


**1000 Days ago, 21:35**

**Orochumaru's secrets research facility, Outskirts of Konoha City**

The dark night was illuminated by searchlights. Bullets were hissing past them, lodging themselves into the trees  in the distance. From everywhere around them, soldiers poured out of doors, their guns blazing and their lines advancing. But Itachi was unafraid. Fear was for those without confidence. Fear was for the untested.

“Cover me.” He said into into his com, holstering both his guns. “I'm going in.”

He didn't wait for his partner to respond, he didn't need to. As Kisame took the machine-gun into his hand and peeked over his cover, Itachi flew towards the entrance. He ran, his feet carrying him faster than the wind towards the hundreds of soldiers who charged at him. He decapitated the first, kicked at the second, sending him hurling into the third. He broke a man's arm and turned him around to take a barrage of shots for him. He stabbed his next opponent, his sword gliding through armor and body like cotton candy.

The night was dark, but his world was not. His world was filled with light and shadow, their features sharp enough in his min to make his body move. He cut through the men defending the entrance like a god among peasants. They did not shoot at him, afraid to hit their own comrades. But that they stood no chance against him did not stop them from engaging.

“Priest, PB,” Itachi said, his sword slashing through bodies one after the other. “Status?”

A huge explosion to the south of the base illuminated the night. Flames clawed at the sky like the tower of Babylon. In the seconds when his opponents were distracted, Itachi cut them down mercilessly. He did not kill all of them, he did not need to. As the last squadron made their weak stand against the Wraith of crimson shadow, Itachi finished them in a flurry of black body armor and glistening blade.

“Baby,” Kisame's sweet voice pierced through his com. “Have I ever told you how much I love watching you work?”

“You can say it more often,” Itachi smirked beneath his helmet. “I never tire of hearing it. Going in, wish me luck.”

“I'll be waiting.” Kisame promised, the grin thick in his voice. “Perhaps I'll even make you some sweets, though that depends on if you bring back the bad guy.”

“Focus,” Pain cut through. “Angel, go with Princess from the south. Priest, stay with the Immortal. Wraith, Poseidon, proceed at planned. Make sure no one comes out alive.”

“Yeeeha!” Hidan shouted, probably swinging his giant scythe in excitement.

The corridor Itachi entered was dark with emergency lighting. He took out everyone that dared cross his path, pressing to the inner sanctum of this unholy base. The locked doors hissed open just as he arrived, no doubt Sasori's handiwork. The tech-specialist had been dropped off on the roof right at the start of the mission, making sure he could direct the battle from there with Pain right next to him.

“Wraith, respond.” Sasori's voice gained a hint of urgency when Itachi reached the underground level.

“I'm here, heading down.” Itachi replied. “Not much resistance. Something isn't right.”

“Your signal is weak, be careful.” Sasori warned.

“Copy that.” Itachi replied. He took both guns into his hands and treat steadily as he headed for the center of the compound. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the bad feeling started deep in his gut. After the fifth door Itachi kicked down revealed no secret, he activated his com. “Pain, there’s no one here. We’re too late.”

No response.

“PM, do you copy?”

Silence.

“Pain, come in.”

Still nothing.

Itachi tried not to worry too much. He was probably just too deep underground, too much lead, too much interference.

“Poseidon, can you hear me?”

Itachi kicked the sixth door down and stood in a pit of blood and bowls. He choked at the sight, seeing the multiple mutilated bodies lined up at the far side. But he was a professional, the best of the best. His attention was immediately focused on the man just above the corpses, his long black hair the distinctive feature of the mad scientist.

“Hands above your head and step away from the bodies!” Itachi shouted, both his guns trained on the man. “Orochimaru, turn around.”

The man did as he asked. Grinning, the scientist wiped his bloody fingers on the towel and tossed it to the ground. “Oh, my dear Itachi,” he drawled, licking his lips. “How good to see you again. I thought you forgot about me. You never replied to any of my messages.”

“You revolt me!” Itachi hissed. “It's over. Surrender and I promise you a fair trial.”

“Tse, tse, tse,” Orochimaru teased. “You should know me better than that. We have so much in common. We both find the narrow structure of Konoha merely constraining. You and I, we are the masters of the world. We need not serve the lower man, but improve it.”

“I'm nothing like you!”

“Nonsense,” the scientist's metal hand went into his pockets.

“Hands up or I _will_ shoot you!”

Orochimaru’s hand reappeared with a detonator in it. He pressed down and Itachi's heart jumped. “I though you wouldn't simply listen to me. Thus, I have prepared something.”

A screen in the corner lid up, showing the security footage of the inner courtyard. In the middle of what looked like a hundred soldiers was one big man, the greatest swordsman in the world. His giant blade cut through the assailants, yet more kept coming.

“Kisame,” Itachi whispered involuntarily. “What do you want?”

“You, my love.” the scientist licked his lips again. “You in exchange for the life of your partner. Isn't that fair?”

“Your men can't defeat Poseidon.”

“Oh, I'm well aware. But even he cannot escape the ring of bombs he's standing on.” Orochimaru chuckled. “He doesn't know of course. It’s one of the best designs money can buy. Not even princess Bang could defuse them in time. Only I can. You see, if I let go of this detonator in less than 100 kilometer radius, your partner dies.”

“You're bluffing!” Itachi hissed.

“Then shoot me, my dear Itachi.” Orochimaru laughed. “Shoot me and kill your partner as well. Perhaps some others of your team along with it. Killing your own team wouldn't be a problem, would it? After all, the great Itachi would even kill his own cousin for victory.”

“Shut up!” Itachi barked, his gun raising to aim at Orochimaru's head.

“He begged I was told,” the mad man laughed. “How heartfelt Shisui pleaded with you. But you, you killed him still. How horrible of you. After everything that beautiful boy did for you, you put a bullet in his head. How did it feel, my dear Itachi? To kill your own blood? That you weren't strong enough to resist me and killed the only person-”

Itachi pulled the trigger, if only to shut him up. His hand was shaking, his aim miserable. The blood splashing from Orochimaru’s wound mixed with those of his victim on the floor as the detonator fell from his hand. Itachi jumped at the device, illogically hoping he could catch it in time and stop the explosion.

But just as he guessed, no burst inflamed the sky. Kisame was still on the screen, still fighting, still laughing.

“I'm taking you in!” Itachi hissed down at the old snake. “This is the end of your madness. And you will tell everyone what you did to me. You'll tell them that I didn't kill Shisui!”

“But you did!” the man rasped, clutching at the wound on his chest. “I didn't tell you to kill your cousin. I only made you do what you've always wanted. You were jealous of him, weren’t you? Because he was so much more talented….”

Itachi slammed the pommel of his gun down against Orochimaru's face. Blood leaked from his broken nose, his teeth red between his swollen lips. Itachi punched down on his face, again and again until none of his artificial feature was recognizable.

“Satisfied?” the older man breathed, blood bubbling in his throat.

“Not until you rot behind bars! Get up!” Itachi barked, hoisting him upwards. “You're coming with me.”

“But we won't be fast enough.” Orochimaru chuckled.

“What are you talking about?”

The mand scientist simply waved the detonator in Itachi's face. On the side of the device was a small display, too small to notice if not examined closely. On it, numbers were counting down steadily.

It read: 03:32

“What?”

“You had ten minutes from when you shot me.” Orochimaru licked Itachi's black helmet visor, leaving a trail of saliva and blood in front of Itachi’s eyes. “Now, you have three and a half.”

Itachi didn't really remember what he did with Orochimaru. He didn't know if he shot him or just dropped him. His sense returned only when he burst through the front entrance of the building, his eyes set on the large man in the middle. Kisame's dark blue helmet turned to face him, tapping his own ear. Only then did Itachi realize that he had been ignoring his com.

“What's up, Wraith?” Kisame was saying, his voice warm and cheerful.

“Get out of there!” Itachi cried out, not halting in his step and frantically waving his arms. “This whole place is rigged to blow! Kisame, get out!”

Then fire was all he saw. The shockwave ripped him from his feet, throwing him back over the concrete courtyard. He slid across the battlefield until a pile of bodies he had created himself stopped him, too far to reach the man he loved. He knew it wasn’t possible, but he believed he saw Kisame standing amidst the inferno, shouting out his name.

  


**Day 1000, 14:45**

Itachi gasped awake from his nightmare, his hand wrapped tight around his attacker's throat. He stared into the man's face, unblinkingly, full of shock and filled with the hate he had bottled up deep inside him. The man above him didn't struggle, didn't try to hurt him but only gasped for air. He slapped Itachi's face almost gently, his mouth moving.

Itachi shuddered and his fingers loosened around the sensitive skin. “Father?” he gasped, not believing what he had just done. “Father, I'm so sorry!”

Fugaku choked and coughed. He rubbed at his assaulted throat and sat back down on a crate. He tried to breath and shook his head.

“Oh god, I'm so sorry, Father.” Itachi jumped from his makeshift cot and knelt down at his sire's feet. He opened a bottle of water for him and could have beaten himself with shame.

“Fucking told you,” Hidan shrugged as he passed.

“Father?”

“I'm okay, son.” Fugaku nodded. He drank more from the bottle and then faced Itachi almost sheepishly. “I should have listened to your comrades. You were screaming in your sleep, I thought....”

Itachi sighed out, collapsing at his father's feet. It's been a long time since he dreamed the whole thing. When they returned from that mission, one man short, Itachi couldn't sleep for days. Then he slept for days at a time and stopped sleeping when the nightmares returned. Back then, he had revisited this scenario over and over again, trying to find a way to save Kisame. He couldn't. He never could. Everytime he dreamed it, Kisame was taken from him by flames. Each time, Itachi woke up screaming his partner's name.

After two months, he had decided to leave.

“I'm here, if you want to talk about it.” Fugaku offered after a while, giving the bottle of water back to Itachi. “As a father and a veteran.”

Closing his eyes, Itachi whispered. “I killed Shisui.”

“What? Why?”

“I was under influence,” Itachi swallowed. “A drug that makes the victim very vulnerable to suggestions. I didn't know what I was doing until I did it. Shisui discovered something about Orochimaru, that's why he made me kill him.”

“Then it wasn't your fault.” Fugaku placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

“That's what they said, but I still killed him.”

“Son,” Fugaku started, sounding more like the detective he was than the businessman. “You mustn't torture yourself like this. I might not be an Akatsuki, but I too have lost men and friends in battles for what's good. The man responsible for Shisui's death, for your partner's death is still out there. He tried to kill me, your mother, and Sasuke. What he did to you was horrible, unspeakable. There must have left deep mental scars. You have my sympathy. But you alone can defeat those demons inside of you. You must not despair, must not give up. You are strong, my son. I know you will not rest until you have justice for your cousin and partner.”

Suddenly, Itachi saw his father in another light. In this moment, Itachi understood who his father was. He too had been a soldier, not for his country, but for its laws. He had been a detective, a paragon of wit and virtue. He was Itachi's father. Slowly, the genius climbed up from his defeated state. He stood before the man he barely spoke to in the last three years and bowed. “Thank you, Father. I shall not disappoint.”

When he stepped up to the table 15 minutes later, Itachi had not felt so much like himself in years. He pulled up the scans of the area north of Konoha and studied the structures. He compared Sasori's data with Zetsu's findings. He gathered all the evidences he had and cross-referenced them with Konan's intel. His hands flew over the holographic documents, his mind opening up to all the information on display.

When he worked in a  truly concentrated state, Itachi was in a world of his own. He had ways to notice even the smallest details and interpret them towards the larger frame. He could imagine himself into his target, letting their mind become his. He could stretch a moment into infinitude, walking around in a scenario until nothing was hidden from him. That was his power, his brilliance that had earned him a spot among the legends.

When he opened his eyes, his team had gathered. The expressions on their faces was that of eagerness, of the thirst for justice and revenge. They looked at him with the same anticipation they did three years ago when they were still so unshaken and unmoved in their resolve. Back then, they were a pantheon of gods, guarding the safety of realms and the moral of men. Itachi had tore them down when he broke. He had shattered the bond between them when he fled into solitude. It was he who had caused a titan to tumble and it would be him who ascended them back to the heavens.

“Orochimaru isn't working alone,” Itachi announced, pulling up multiple files at once. “I believe Danzou had been secretly founding him for last ten years.”

“Your proof?” Pain asked calmly.

“Before my cousin Shisui was killed, we worked on an undercover mission to discover the true relationship between Danzou and Orochimaru. We believed that our Vice President was Orochimaru’s secret benefactor. We came as far as to discover a trail back to Konoha when Orochimaru caught up with us. Pain knows this, but the rest of you don't. Orochimaru induced me which the prototype drug he uses on his soldiers to make them willing. He made me kill my cousin before Shisui could reveal what he learned.”

Itachi pulled up Shisui's file and placed Itachi's last Akatsuki mission next to it. “Just like three years ago, my cousin and I were betrayed. Orochimaru knew exactly when we were going to attack and how. He was ready for us, both times. His MO hasn't changed. He laid out trails for us to follow, he lures us into a trap and separates us from each other. Then he break us... me by making me kill those I love.”

“Itachi,” Konan cut in, shaking his head. “We reviewed what was left of your helmet-feed, he didn't make you. You are not responsible for Kisame's fate.”

“He manipulated me, knowing that mentioning Shisui would unbalance me.” Itachi wiped the documents away, pulling up that of the most recent incident. “Just like he did with Kisame's message. Unbalance, then strike.”

“He does not have the resources to bomb all your safehouses and your home simultaneously, despite the fact that he remains elusive and formidable,” Pain analyzed. He looked up at Itachi with silent accusations in his eyes. “We have not given up on Orochimaru in the past three years, even when Akatsuki is disbanded.”

“I apologize.”

“We all were fooled.” Pain lifted a hand to stop him further. “After our failure in capturing Orochimaru and the loss of our brother, we suffered defeat. In our worst moment, our enemies advanced. The Konoha Vice President Shimura Danzou was such a man. He was the most vocal in demanding our disbandment. Thus I believe he has reason to fear the united Akatsuki. If what you claim is true, by exposing him, Akatsuki can be legitimized again.”

“About fucking time!” Hidan crossed his arms. “I'm sick of asking for jobs like a beggar. I say we kill these two fuckers and get back into business!”

“We need them alive,” Konan objected.

“Orochimaru dies.” Itachi insisted.

“I second that!” Deidara's hand shot up in the air. “That son of a bitch killed Kisame! I'm gonna blow him into space! Or his corpse, after you killed him, Itachi.”

“It's decided. Danzou lives, Orochimaru dies.”

A loud cough behind them interrupted the briefing. For once, Fugaku didn't look like he was uncomfortable while watching them from a few feet away. “I know I'm just a civilian right now, but as a retired man of law, I still have to remind you all, with respect, that what you are planning to do is called murder.”

Hidan barked out a laugh and then quickly went silent when he noticed that Fugaku wasn't joking. “Your father is fucking scary, man.”

“Duly noted, Mr. Uchiha.” Pain addressed him with his pale, cold eyes. “Please refrain from interrupting us.” He turned towards his team. “Though I do not want to say it, Mr. Uchiha is right. Itachi, you may not kill him.”

Itachi clenched his teeth. “Yes, Sir. But if he forces my hand, I will respond in kind.”

“Agreed.”

“Do not forget,” Konan added, “we are not legitimized right now. To the world, Akatsuki is disbanded. This will not be an Akatsuki operation, which means we act as individuals.”

“Where is the difference?” Deidara asked.

“We will be collecting the bounty on his head,” Kakuzu said.

“We're not simple bounty hunters!” Deidara pouted. “Kakuzu, can you for once not think about money?”

“Kakuzu is right,” Itachi cut in. “Apprehending him as bounty hunters will solve the legal problem for us. Our mission is not sanctioned, which means we are not allowed to use deadly force unless it's necessary. Orochimaru has to attack us first.”

“Fuck me!” Hidan moaned.

“Maybe you just swear at him enough and he'll attack you!” Deidara chuckled. “Problem solved. We send the immortal couple in, let them deal with trespassing and bang, Orochimaru attacks and we retaliate!”

“Not a bad idea, but we must find something more elegant,” Pain said. “Itachi, any ideas?”

“I'll be bait,” the genius said and heard his family gasp. “He will not be able to resist. It is me he wants after all. At this moment, we might still hold the advantage of surprise. Orochimaru doesn’t know that I’ve made contact with you. Once I find evidence of his crime, I will have to report it. If he kidnaps me, whoever is close and has the power must assist in my escape.”

“We will be close and respond to that call before anyone else.” Sasori said. “It can be managed. Just don't make me wait.”

“Or we can just kick his front door down!” Hidan suggested. “Kisame sent Itachi a message! Which means he's kidnapped and needs help! We can pretend we didn’t know the signal is fake. Snake dude attacks us to protect himself, we kill him in the process. All done! Everything fucking perfect.”

“Whatever information we find in there can be used to pressure the Vice President.” Konan continued the thought. “We expose him of his crime and for that, the united council of the five presidents will have to reinstate us. If the Konoha Vice President indeed is innocent, capturing Orochimaru itself is a victory. It seems, whoever tried to kill Itachi has dug his own grave. Let this be a lecture never to mess with Akatsuki.”

“It is decided, then.” Pain announced. “Prepare yourselves, Zetsu will brief us in an hour. Then, we move to cross Orochimaru off our list once and for all.”

  


**Day 1001, 12:35**

“We're coming with you!” Sasuke shouted.

“Absolutely not.” Itachi objected.

“You can't just leave us here!”

“You'll be safe here.”

“In a underground bunker with a ghost?” Sasuke snorted. “What if someone sends a missile again? What if someone breaks in? Our only defense would be Obito!”

“No one is going to get in our base.” Itachi tried, sighing.

“Our home was supposed to be safe. So were your safehouses. Why is this place so different? What if they lure you away so they can attack your base?”

“You're overreacting, Sasuke.” Itachi silenced him by pressing a hand to his mouth. “You're as safe as your can ever be, inside this very base.”

His little brother shook him off. “What if you don't come back?”

“Aw fuck me!” Hidan moaned as he strapped his sidearm on his thigh. “Either you shut him the fuck up, or I will.”

Itachi glared at him. “If you touch my brother, I will kill you.”

The argument continued as Itachi dressed himself. He filled his pockets with gadgets and ammos, strapped different devices and weapons to his belt. He swung the assault rifle to his back and made sure his sword is secure. “For the last time, Sasuke. I'm going to be fine and you are going to stay here!”

“Itachi, you can't just....”

“Father, a little help please?”

“Sasuke, stop pestering your brother. He needs to concentrate.”

“Listen, Sasuke.” Itachi placed a hand on his shoulder. “I might have not been very confidence inspiring the last few years, but I am capable. Please stay here, in safety so I can do my job.”

  


**Act III:**

**Day 1001, 19:15**

**Cobra Research Facility, Outskirts of Konoha City**

The plan was to negotiate with the occupant of the ‘research facility’ to release Kisame while teams of two surrounded the area. Should whoever was in charge of this compound agree to Itachi's conditions, he would be joined by Konan and Sasori. Should they attack, the plan was simple. As individuals bounty hunters, they must not start the conflict, but were allowed to respond.

Everything went as planned exactly for five minutes. Once their stealth-jet Gedo Maso was hidden in the forest and Itachi started 'talking' to Orochimaru using a megaphone, the whole area lid up. Searchlights illuminated the courtyard as armored troops poured out to defend their territory.

“Talk about deja-vus,” Deidara muttered over the secured channel. “His MO hasn't changed a bit.”

“Orochimaru!” Itachi shouted into his megaphone. “Release Kisame at once! I know you have him!”

The reply was a barrage of rounds that hissed his way. He flipped into the air, dodging most bullets and feeling some gracing his body armor. He dashed for cover once his feet touched the ground, lethal lead following him over the wide open area.

“Pain, does that count as provocation?” he hissed into his helmet-com.

“So be it. Remember, we're here for evidence. You must not kill Orochimaru before we have sufficient proof. On my mark,” he paused. “ _Go!_ ”

Itachi flew over the cover, the barrel of his assault rifle aimed at Orochimaru's force. The first line went down before Itachi needed to abandon his position and keep moving. He ran towards the entrance, jumping over fallen bodies and other obstacles. He pulled a solder down with a cross-legged clinch around the neck while his rifled fired at the men on the other side.

Bodies dropped like flies. In just under a minute, Itachi successfully took out the squadrons that were send to their deaths. The soldiers Orochimaru used to defend his creations were his creations. Once, they were men and woman abducted and kidnapped. Most of them were refugees who had fallen for the mad Scientist's promise of a better live. Now, they were brainwashed husks, lacking any resemblance of personality.

When would Orochimaru learn that quantity did not surpass quality?

Just as Itachi paused at the door to reload his weapon, he was dragged down to the ground by a firm hand around his ankle. A man he had just killed clawed at him, trying to pin him to the floor. Other hands started to grasp for him as well, each of them holding onto a piece of his equipment. He felt a man reach for his sidearm and instinctively kicked the soldier in his face. The visor the man wore tore to the side, revealing vacant blue eyes that once belonged to a man.

“Let go!” He shouted, kicking another female soldier in the shoulder. She didn't scream, but retreated to give place to another. Within short moments, all the soldiers Itachi had killed were upon him. Their hands ripped the helmet from his head and tangled themselves into his hair. A man took his pistol and placed it against Itachi's abdomen.

“No!” The genius gasped at the same time he felt the pain. Fueled by the suddenly anguish and adrenaline, Itachi spun around in wide birth, his flying legs hitting multiple target. He unsheathed his sword, cutting them down in all directions. But they didn't fall, didn't even retreat when a limb was severed. Now, Itachi could see that the first man he had shot down was fighting as if nothing happened.

He too had pale blue eyes.

“What's going on here?” He gasped, literally cutting his way towards the entrance free. “Pain, do you copy? They don't die!”

“I noticed,” Pain's voice sounded strained. “They have some kind of regenerating ability.”

“Itachi, your vital is falling,” Sasori remarked.

“I've been shot.” He pressed forth between clenched teeth. “Nothing too serious, the armor took the worst.” The pummel of his sword connected with the head of another attacker. The resistance was wrong. It didn't feel like bones breaking, rather like metal bending. A sudden idea overtook him. Instead of slashing or cutting at his next opponent, Itachi crouched down to the floor, letting his opponents charge over him. Pressing his hand towards the gadget in his left chest pocket, Itachi detonated the EMP.

The flash that went through the courtyard shocked him as well. He felt his own wound burn as electricity rushed through his body and armor. For a moment, his ears rang with the sound of static, while the support systems build into his armor recharged. The good news was that all the assailants fell to the ground like puppets with broken strings.

“Wraith, respond!” Konan was shouting when his com finally reconnected. “What's happening?”

“They have some kind of control in their heads. EMP will do it,” he sighed out, lifting himself up to his feet. His first act was to inject a syringe filled with Kakuzu’s creation into the general area of his abdomen. He felt the pain vanish as his wound stopped bleeding after only a few seconds. He would leave the rest to his armor. At least, he wasn't dying for the moment.

Itachi gathered his helmet and weapons on his way to the entrance. This time, he made sure no surprises were in store before checking in with his team. “North secured. Pain, I'm going in.”

“South entrance secured,” Kakuzu reported. “Priest and I are going in.”

“West secure,” Deidara said. “PM and I are ready. He's even left his chair.”

“Angel, keep an eye on the perimeter.” Pain ordered. “I'll go in from the top. Go!”

It was just like 1001 days ago when Itachi entered the corridor alone. Everything started in a night like this and he hoped, prayed that it would also end in a night like this. Disarming the zombie soldiers weren't a problem after he had figured out the trick. Using an electrical baton instead of his guns, Itachi disposed of these men and women one after the other. Though they were resistant to pain and possessed regenerating ability, once their connection to the source was severed, they were just dead meat.

In the central corridor, Itachi was joined by Deidara and Sasori. Even on the worst Akatsuki days, the Puppetmaster so rarely left his modified chair which also served as his command center. That he abandoned it to fight in flesh and blood said something about his dedication to save Kisame.

“There's a large power source below us,” Sasori stated as Deidara placed explosives around the hinges of the next door.

“Good,” Itachi nodded, taking a moment to examine his wound. It wasn't too bad. But even if his suit could keep the wound closed for hours, he would need medical attention sooner rather than later. “Once we're in, I want you to look for the control center. Deidara and I will search for Orochimaru.”

Sasori clearly was displeased, but he didn't argue. “Let's hope he's in the control center. I've wanted to kill him for years.”

“Alright, stand clear. Art. Is.” Deidara was grinning like a manic, Itachi could hear it in his voice. “Bang!”

Itachi charged before the smoke cleared. He jumped at his first opponent, jugging his baton into the man's neck. His elbow met with the skull of the next with enough force to dent the implant below the skin, making the soldier twitch without coordination. Next to him, Sasori's drones zapped the remaining soldiers with controlled EMPs while Deidara simply blew their heads off.

“Note to the team,” he said into the com when the last soldier dropped to the floor. “Decapitation works, too.”

“We're in,” Itachi reported, already making his way down towards the lower sections. Orochimaru might have been a genius in the field of genetics and science, but he wasn't very inventive when coming to the architecture of his bases. From past experience, Itachi could already guess that the man himself would be hiding in the deepest part of the compound with an emergency exit close by. When confronted, the man always chose to send out his creations to die and flee at the last moment when Akatsuki finally caught up with him.

Only this time, Itachi was ready for any kind of surprise. Nothing Orochimaru could say would bring him out of his balance this time. The old madman didn't know what he had roused. He didn't know the desperation and determination of a man who had nothing to lose. He didn't know just how much the Wraith of crimson shadow truly wanted to kill him.

“I'm picking up something,” Sasori said once they reached the level below them. “Large energy readings, up ahead. Must be the central control.”

“Let's get this over with!” Itachi commanded, advancing with his team carefully.

The door at the end of the corridor opened just as the three warriors crouched down on each side. For a second, Itachi thought that Sasori had outdone himself at hacking, but was corrected when teams of manipulated soldiers rushed out and opened fire. Itachi jumped up from his position, feeling multiple bullets hiss pass too close for comfort. With a overhead flip, he landed between the soldiers, knocking two to the ground. He jammed his stunning devices into their necks, feeling that they jerked under him.

But the rest of them didn't care where Itachi was. They turned and started shooting at the agent as well as their own comrades, regardless of the casualties. It was brutal as blood filled the air when lead met flesh. It was only due to Itachi's extreme flexibility that he managed to dodge as much as he could. Still, when he took cover behind another soldier who acted as a meat shield, Itachi felt the pain in his body, knowing that several other places had been hit.

They were sitting ducks here, cornered and outflanked. Frustrated, Itachi dropped the electrical batons which had run out of charges and switched to his blades. “We must push forward!” He shouted into his com. “On my mark... go!”

From different positions at the door and from under fallen soldiers, the Akatsuki burst out. Though each of them was a master in their own trade, all of them were formidable fighters. Each of them wielded the weapon of their choice, each of them dropping bodies like angels of death.

The puppetmaster might be small in his statue, but the way he fought complimented him. He jumped around, blasting giant guns he had crafted himself, using the many different setting on his weapon to best take out the opponent that faced him. Deidara on the other hand was pure brutal warfare. His gun was modified, loaded not with simple rounds but small bombs that could be set off remotely. Carrying the trigger in one hand and placing his explosives with the other, he detonated them only when he could take out more than one soldier at a time.

Itachi on the other hand preferred the elegance of his blade. In the crowded corridor, his slender figure gave him great room to maneuver. He was a shadow among them, a wraith that cut through humans without any hint of mercy. Walls and ceilings became his launching point, flesh and bones his cover. Whenever he charged, heads rolled.

“Wraith, someone is coming!” Sasori shouted when the lines of soldiers were reduced to half. “Large energy reading, south corridor!”

“Acknowledged! You go for the evidence, we'll hold them off!”

For better defense, the three Akatsuki agents retreated back into the control center while the remaining soldiers kept blasting at them. Fortunately for them, Orochimaru's control center was only operated by a small team of technicians who didn't look like they had any combat experience. Two of them immediately abandoned their work stations, hurrying for the protection of a corner, hiding behind bulky hardware. The third man thought was a little bit more courage. His fingers flew over the keyboards as numbers ran across the scene. Sasori shot him in the head without a flinch, then shoved his corpse away together with the chair he died in.

“Shit,” he redhead cursed. “He deep-sixed the data.”

Deidara and Itachi both panted when the landed on the floor, four men falling behind them, their heads either severed and blasted away. “Danna, you can recover them, right?”

“Sasori, what's incoming? Do you have a feed?” Itachi asked instead.

“No idea. It's fast. Hold it off me while I work.”

When Sasori worked, he looked almost mad. He didn't talk, didn't smile and sometimes Itachi think he didn't even blink. His fingers danced with precision, never moving a centimeter too much. He never stopped, never hesitated. When Sasori connected with the machines, he was terrifying.

Shrugging, Deidara turned away from his partner. He and Itachi both checked their equipment and the remaining ammo they carried with them. Just as Itachi reloaded his guns and took aim, the ground beneath their feet shook with force. The stomping footsteps indicated a large being charging towards them with inhuman speed.

A minute later, the beast burst through the door of the south corridor, sending splinters and concrete flying towards the two agents. He charged at them, the battle cry on his lips muffled by the complete black helmet he wore. His body covered with tactical armor rammed into Deidara as Itachi expertly flipped out of the way.

Deidara cried out in pain when he was crushed into the wall. The large man grasped his head and repeatedly smashed his helmeted head into the wall while Deidara's anguished voice filled their com.

“Dei!” Sasori screamed.

“Stay!” Itachi ordered. “Hack, I'll deal with him.”

As if hearing their voice, the bigger man completely dressed in black uniform looked up from Deidara's broken body on the floor. Even through the black visor, Itachi could feel the feral snarl on that beast's lips. The creature in front of him wasn't just a modified soldier, he was something else.

Without time to analyze the situation, Itachi readied himself when the creature charged at him. He dodged the first strike that was aimed at Itachi's head and blocked the kick that followed immediately, reaching for Itachi's solar plexus. Each time they connected, Itachi could feel the force of the creatures strong blows. In strength, the Wraith was clearly at a disadvantage, with the charging creature towering over him by at least ten inches. But coming to agility and creativity, Itachi had never been beaten before....

Until the creature grabbed his ankle just as Itachi flipped over him and slammed the Uchiha down into a desk, crushing it with all the hardware on it. Itachi felt the pain starting low in his spine and quickly reaching over his entire torso. He rolled around just as the monster's foot came down to crush his ribcage and drew his sword to slash at his opponent's ankles himself.

As if the monster knew exactly how Itachi fought, he jumped up and landed back on Itachi's blade, pinning it to the floor. His knees met Itachi's visor, cracking it and sending the raven flying through the room. Itachi had just enough time to get rid of his damaged helmet as soon as he landed as bullets hissed towards him, forcing him to move. He dashed behind several bulky hardware, changing his course when he was just out of sight for a split-second. He charged out of cover at the opponent, drawing both his gun mid-flight. He fired three rapid shots each weapon, all of them meeting the armor on the monster's body.

The bigger man tumbled backwards from the impact, giving Itachi the opening he needed. He landed on the bigger man's shoulder, clinching him with his thighs. With a move impossible to perform for any other, Itachi used every bit of his lean body and ripped the bigger man from his footing, making them both crush into the floor. He climbed up on top of the monster, his muzzle pressed into the man's shoulder joints. He fired, feeling the bullets ripping through the protective armor. Blood pooled on the floor but the man didn't scream.

In fact, the attacker made no attempts at all. He just remained on the floor, his helmeted face looking straight at Itachi's. Then he moved the arms he shouldn't be able to move and Itachi watched in horror as the man removed his black helmet.

“No,” he heard himself gasp. “Kisame.”

Everything inside Itachi hurt. Everything was screaming and his head was spinning. He didn't remember that he was still riding on Kisame's chest or that his guns were still loaded and ready to shoot. He didn't hear his comrades giving their reports over the com or what Sasori was shouting at him. He could only see Kisame's intense blue eyes that were nothing like Itachi remembered. Instead of the depth of the sea that had once colored his iris, they were of a pale vacant blue. Instead of love, he saw nothing but accusation and betrayal.

In his hesitation, two strong legs came up to cross in front of Itachi chest. With a strong pull, they slammed Itachi back down on the floor, taking the breath from his lungs. Kisame freed himself from Itachi immediately, repositioning himself over Itachi. Before the raven could recover from the shock of seeing his partner whom he had missed for 1001 days, a large palm wrapped itself around Itachi's throat and began to squeeze.

Itachi's eyes snapped wide open. He struggled against Kisame's hold, clawing at his hand and kicking at his body. “Kisame,” he gagged, tears coming up in his eyes. “It's me! Release me!”

Instead of heading his orders as Kisame had always done, he bowed down towards Itachi and hissed. “You left me to die!”

“No!” Itachi struggled again. “Please!”

“I called out for you! But you left me to die!” With that, he started slamming Itachi's head back against the ground just as he had done with Deidara previously. His fist sank down on Itachi's body, hitting him in the exact spot where the raven had been shot previously.

Itachi screamed but no sound escaped his tightened throat. Kisame dug his finger into Itachi's plate and reached for the bullet hole in his flesh. The burning pain that shot through Itachi's body made him twitch wildly. Tears escaped his eyes when his whole body spasmmed.

It seemed that his death would come at Kisame’s hands.

No! He thought. He couldn't die here. Even if he had wanted to die for the last 1001 days, he couldn't right now. Not when he had just found Kisame!

With new determination burning sharp in his mind, Itachi reached for the blade on Kisame's thigh. With movements quicker than normal mind could register, Itachi cut through Kisame's wrist, making him loose his hold just slightly. That tiny opening was enough for the master assassin to escape by slamming Kisame's head sideways and slithering out from under the unbalanced swordsman.

“PM, hurry!” Itachi croaked out as he went for his sword. Kisame's hand grabbed at his ankle, pulling him backwards towards the attacker. Itachi kicked and parried, he dodged and blocked. For the next minutes, what Kisame couldn't say with words, he said it with his fists. It was almost as if they were singing out to Itachi, telling the raven of all the hate and fury that boiled deeply in Kisame.

“Kisame,” Itachi begged when he blocked a strike to his temple. “I didn’t know! I watched you die! Kisame, stop!”

The man who once heeded everyone of Itachi's order answered with a keyboard towards Itachi's head. The raven ducked under it and swirled around to unbalance his partner again. Kisame skillfully stepped over the attack, his elbow sinking down towards Itachi's shoulder.

“I don't want to kill you!” Itachi shouted, grabbing the big fist that sought his death and flipped his partner over. “Kisame, I can explain! Let me explain everything to you!”

“You left me to die!” Kisame roared, pulling a knife from a sheath in the small of his back. “I thought you loved me!”

“I still do!” Itachi blocked the blade, dancing out of his reach to gather himself. “I love you, Kisame! Stop….” He blocked a strike at his neck. “This….” he ducked under a kick. “Madness!” He got hold of Kisame's free hand and flipped over the large man's head in a cartwheel and pinned his arm against his back. “Listen to me, please. I love you! I never stopped. I am not your enemy! You're Poseidon! You're one of us!”

Kisame snarled, pulling back with his elbow, again meeting Itachi's wounded side. The raven clenched his teeth in pain but didn't loosen his hold. “Kisame, it's me, Wraith. Your lover! Your Itachi! Don't fight me!”

“I'll kill you!” His partner screamed into the air. He pressed backwards with speed and force until Itachi's was crushed against the nearest object. Then he pulled himself free from the raven's hold and whirled around, his blade sinking towards Itachi with another anguished cry.

In this moment, Itachi was certain that this was how he would die. Killed not by his enemies but by the man he loved. But the blade never met his flesh. Instead, the blade was stuck in the wood one inch beside Itachi's head, lodged into the table so deep the handle met the wood. Only then did Itachi realize that not only was he not dead, but Kisame wasn't even attacking anymore. His partner had collapsed over him.

“Itachi?” Sasori's voice was shaking, full of fear and anticipation. “Are you alive?”

The raven swallowed. He tried to speak but no sound escaped. Instead, he simply lifted one hand and waved. He could hear Sasori sigh out audibly, something Sasori had never done before. He hurried over and carefully pulled Kisame down from Itachi.

“What happened?” the Uchiha asked. “What did you do?”

“I disabled his neural implant.”

“You hacked into the neutral control instead of saving the data,” Itachi nodded, understanding immediately what Sasori was doing. “Thank you.”

“Don't mention it.” He nodded, stepping over the unconscious Kisame on the floor towards the entrance. “What about you? Are you alright?”

Itachi sighed out shakily and peeled himself from the table. He let his gaze wander over their destroyed battlefield which had been a control center only minutes ago. He then looked down on himself, searching his own body for any injuries that escaped his notice. Once Itachi made sure that nothing was immediately life-threatening, he finally returned his focus to the man on the floor.

Right now, the man looked almost peaceful. Nothing indicated that this beautiful creature was the monster who had almost killed Deidara and him only moments ago. Kneeling down beside his partner, Itachi bit back his tears as he searched Kisame for hidden weapons. He cuffed Kisame's hands and dressed his wounds. He brushed the loose strands of hair away from Kisame's face and pressed his lips down to his partner's forehead.

When Sasori returned with his own unconscious partner, Itachi had stopped crying.

  


**Day 1001, 23:38**

**Main Hall, Akatsuki Base, Konoha City**

“What the hell happened to you?” Sasuke shrieked as soon as he entered the Akatsuki base in Konoha City. After their successful capture of Orochimaru, Pain decided that the operation should be moved to a better location.

Itachi winced at his brother's tone. Though Sasuke often raised his voice, he rarely raised it this high. The one other instance Itachi had heard something similar was when Naruto kissed him for the first time in their garden when they were just 13.

“Itachi,” his mother joined in Sasuke's outburst, both of them hurrying over towards the Uchiha genius.

“Please stay back,” Sasori said, not even looking up from the wound on Itachi's thigh.

“So many wounds,” Mikoto gasped, pressing both her hands over her mouth. “What happened?”

“It's nothing,” Itachi sighed, swallowing the last bit of his energy bar. He tried not to focus on the fact that he was sitting in front of his family in only his underwear while most of his body was either covered by bandages or bruises. “Just flesh wounds.” And some more which he wasn't going to tell his parents. “It looks worse than it is.”

“You suck at playing tough,” Hidan barked from the other side of the room, where he was going through Kisame's weapons. He looked up and winked at Itachi's mother and grinned. “Your son is one badass motherfucker.”

Mikoto gasped again and Itachi winced. “Watch your language, you're talking to my Mother.”

“Got two ribs broken and some more fucked up, two god-damn bullets in his body, a couple graces and a mild concussion. But he still insists that he's fine,” Hidan reported. “You're digging your own fucking grave if you keep this act up.”

Mikoto collapsed into his husbands arms, hiding her face while she sobbed.

“Look what you've done!” Itachi hissed. “Mother really, I'm fine. HIdan is exaggerating. He is mere disgruntled because he encountered next to no resistance on his path.”

“Could have left some for me,” Hidan grumbled, trying not to sulk. “Orochimaru really is biased, sending all his men after you!”

“Shut up, Hidan!” Itachi barked just as Mikoto let out another pained sob.

Hidan was confused for only a second. He flustered, then quickly addressed Itachi’s mother. “Aw, fuck…. I mean, nothing Itachi couldn’t deal with!” He tried, “Your son is a fucking maniac! Best assault troop I’ve seen! I mean, he fought like possessed and...” he scratched the back of his head, “I mean, he got him after all! That’s all that matters, right? ”

“ _I_ did it,” Sasori corrected while finishing Itachi's stitches. “If I didn't disable the neural link in time, Itachi would be dead.”

Itachi slapped his own forehead. He was surrounded by idiots.

“What?” Sasuke gasped, accompanied with Mikoto's pained wince.

“They are exaggerating,” Itachi explained, though it sounded extremely forced. “It wasn't that bad. I had everything under control.”

“Sure you did,” Sasori deadpanned. “You're done here. I'll go check on Deidara.”

“Princess Bang?” Obito finally asked, looking a little pale. “Is he okay?”

“Concussion. He'll be fine.” Konan came to stand before before the Uchiha family. “If you don't mind, please follow Tobi to the guest room or the resting area. We will be finishing up the debriefing here.”

“I'm not leaving Nii-san!” Sasuke argued immediately. He came to Itachi's side who was trying to put a fresh set of pants on as carefully as he could and actually made himself useful by helping Itachi get into his shirt. “Are you really okay?”

“I'm fine, Sasuke.” He smiled down gently. “Listen to Konan, please. It's just a short debrief. Won't take long, then I'll come see you. Father, please take care of them.”

Only reluctantly did the Uchiha family allow a happy dancing Tobi to lead them away. Once all civilians cleared out, Pain returned from his call-conference with the Leaders of Konoha. Even after all these years they worked together, Pain was the only one Itachi couldn't read completely.

“Are you alright?” Their leader asked once he sat down and accepted a mug of coffee from Konan.

“I'll live.”

“Good.” He nodded, taking a sip of the strong brew. “First of all, good work, everyone. For those not present, Orochimaru has been apprehended near the emergency escape of his compound. He resisted arrest but was overpowered eventually. Hidan, I am impressed by your control today. It seems you are still capable of being professional and listening to orders even after three years of running wild.”

The blond cursed under his breath, but not loud enough to be considered insulting.

“Though Orochimaru destroyed most of his files, we still gathered enough hard evidence and witnesses to build a case against him and his benefactors. With your continued hard work, we can prove Vice President Danzou's guilt within the week. As for now, we've been given special permission to investigate within Konoha's borders. Sasori, I'm counting on you to salvage as many digital evidence as you can.”

Sasori nodded.

“But our biggest success tonight is the rescue of Kisame.” Pain said and managed something that resembled a faint smile. “As it turned out, Orochimaru has kept him a prisoner for the last three years. We have to assume that Kisame has been used for several experiments to enhance the performance of Orochimaru's troops. Kakuzu believes that there is a connections between the resilience of the soldiers we encountered and Kisame's endurance.”

“How is he now?” Itachi asked, his heart beating fast suddenly.

“Don't worry,” Pain actually chuckled. “He'll live. Kakuzu has already successfully removed the neural implant in his head. It will not post any danger from now on. He is now dressing the wounds you put there. The two bullets in his shoulders have been removed. His muscles will need time to heal, but his bones are intact. I'm impressed with your precision, Itachi. You have planned this all along.”

Itachi nodded.

“We also found traces of different drugs in his blood. But with Kisame’s metabolism, they shouldn’t be a problem by morning. As for Deidara, he has a concussion and one broken shoulder-blade.” Pain continued. “Kakuzu expects him to wake up soon, then we will know more. That is all for now, any questions?”

“Where is Orochimaru?” Itachi asked.

“He has been dropped off at a high-security prison. Personnel of President Sarutobi's ANBU are currently watching him. We are granted unrestricted access and the permission to interrogate him.” Konan said.

“The legitimization of Akatsuki depends on the result of our investigation.” Pain said. “Furthermore, I want the Uchiha Family to be watched 24/7 until our investigation is concluded.”

“Is that necessary?” Itachi asked.

“Yes, they are your family and I don't want them in any danger.”

“That's oddly considerate of you.”

“It's to increase your performance. You're emotionally unstable at the moment. Having them in safety will allow your to be at your best. And I need you at your best.”

“I understand.” Itachi nodded again.

“Sasori,” Konan said. “Anything on why Kisame wanted to kill Itachi? I don't believe it was because of revenge.”

“He was receiving signals all through their struggle,” Sasori said, typing away on his wheelchair. “I think he was ordered to. Once his neural signal was severed, he showed no sign of aggression.”

“Does it sound right to you, Itachi?”

“I think so,” Itachi sighed. “I don't believe that Kisame would kill me for revenge even if he was drugged. I think Orochimaru had given him explicit order to eliminate me and the drug must have enhanced his grudge somewhat. While we fought, he was too raw, too brutal as if running solely on instinct. From my experience, Orochimaru’s drug does have that effect. It’s logical.”

“Then I will welcome Poseidon back into our ranks once he has recovered.” Pain stood from his chair. “Any objections?”

Itachi and Sasori shook their heads.

“Hidan?”

Pain chuckled as he saw Hidan sleeping and drooling in his chair. “Well, I guess we're all tired. Let's call it a day. Itachi, you can go see Kisame if you want. But be careful.”

When Itachi arrived in the medical bay, Kakuzu was just finishing the last bit of Kisame's treatment. He stepped aside when Itachi sat down at Kisame's bed, watching the shaved head of his partner and the multiple bruises and wounds he had put there. Involuntarily, Itachi took Kisame's hand into his, stroking the skin he had missed so much.

“He'll be alright,” Kakuzu eventually said. “It doesn't irk me as much as I expected to have him back. Congratulations.”

Itachi didn't even try to hide his smile or his tears. “Thank you, Kakuzu. I'll stay with him.”

  


**The next morning**

Itachi jerked up from his chair when he realized that he wasn't alone. The hushed whispers halted abruptly when he snapped his eyes open, not recognizing anything he was seeing. Blinking, Itachi registered his brother standing next to his father, overlooking a man in the bed while his mother had said man’s hand in hers and was... smiling.

“Hey,” the man in the bed whispered feebly. “You're awake.”

Itachi blinked again. Kisame just spoke to him. Wait, Kisame just spoke to him.

“Kisame!” He gasped, jumping up from his chair and reaching Kisame's bedside in one stride. “You're awake!”

Mikoto chuckled next to them while Sasuke huffed. “He woke half an hour ago,” she explained. “We're just getting acquainted.”

“Why didn't you wake me?”

“Didn't have the heart,” Kisame smiled at him, his fingers finding Itachi's. “I forgot how beautiful you look when you sleep.”

Itachi’s face darkened with a blush. He lifted Kisame's hand to his lips and pressed a long, hard kiss onto it. “I missed you,” he whispered, closing his eyes to prevent the tears. His shoulder started to tremble, his throat felt tight. However he tried, he couldn't stop the tears that ran down his cheeks in droves. “I missed you so much!” He sobbed, placing Kisame's large palm onto his face. “Kisame....”

“Itachi-san,” Kisame muttered. “I missed you, too. Every day. Every night.”

“I thought you're....” he swallowed hard, opening his eyes to face his partner. “I thought....”

“I know,” Kisame smiled. “Come closer. Don't be afraid.”

“I'm not afraid of you.”

“I know.”

Itachi shifted closer, careful not to touch any of Kisame's wounds or his own. Since his ribs were damaged and Kisame's shoulder shot, the only thing they could do was to sit close and hold each other's hands. From somewhere behind him, he registered only faintly how his mother pushed his family out of the door.

“I guess you got my message,” Kisame whispered. Even though he was battered and tired, he still managed something resembling a triumphant grin. “Pretty good, wasn't it?”

“So you did send the message.”

“I didn't know about the missiles. Sorry about your house.” Kisame tried to shrug, but only grimaced in pain. “Snake Doc sometimes lets me watch the news, showing me things about you to discourage me. He thought that if I saw you having a socialite life, I'd lose hope. That I'd believe you've abandoned me.”

Itachi lowered his head in shame. Even if he told himself all the years that Kisame was still alive, he did believe his partner dead. How was he to tell Kisame that he didn't even search for his partner but chose to run away from his problems?

“Hey,” Kisame's grips tightened for an instant. “I don't blame you. I know you all believed me dead.”

“But....”

“Doesn't matter to me. You were miserable and I had to find a way to get you out.”

“Get _me_ out?”

“You probably blamed yourself, didn't you? Orochimaru told me everything, about your chat, the bombs and you set it off. Accidently.” Kisame chuckled. “He thinks that he knows you, but what he knows about you doesn't even fill a page. I knew you were in a dark place, so I have to save you.”

“So you endured for my sake,” Itachi's voice was small, as feeble as that of a dying child. “While I just hid, doing nothing.”

“We all have our ways to deal with it. Hey, look at me. I made through Shisui's death with you, remember? I know what you look like when you mourn. Couldn't let you mourn someone who's still alive, right?”

Itachi kissed his hand again. “So you managed to send me a message, luring me to you. You knew I'd contact the team if I have the slightest bit of hope that it's really you. And that lead us directly to Orochimaru. I take he panicked after your message. That's why he used Danzou's connections to bomb my house and dispatch a team to pursuit me. But when Danzou found out, he pulled the teams back, that's how we escaped.”

“You combination skills haven't suffered a bit.”

“Neither has your survival skills.”

“Itachi-san...” Kisame swallowed hard, his features slipping. “Did you mean what you said when we fought?”

Itachi blushed again. “Yeah, I did.”

“You realize that it was the first time you told me you love me?”

“Don't tease me,” Itachi muttered, his face heating up even more. “You broke two of my ribs. I can't laugh.”

“Well, you shot me twice.”

Itachi rolled his eyes. “You dug a finger into my bullet wound.”

Kisame grimaced and almost growled. “I didn't want to do it. I just couldn’t control myself. I’m sorry.”

“No need, it wasn't your fault. We already know that Orochimaru was controlling you. Do you happen to know any details that might help Sasori with the research?”

Kisame laughed, then coughed. “You're so cute when you can't let go of work.”

“Sorry.”

“It's okay. We will bring that bastard down.”

“For you, for me, for Shisui.”

“And all the good men and women he's killed.” Kisame promised. For a while, Kisame did nothing but hold Itachi's hand, his thumb gently caressing Itachi's skin. “Itachi-san, I... I still love you. You know that, right?”

Itachi nodded and tried not to sniff. “Never doubted it.”

“So,” if Itachi didn't know better, he'd say that Kisame was blushing, “what do you want to do now? Pick up where we left off?”

“That'd be nice.”

Kisame's face lit up with a bright smile as his blue eyes glistened with tears. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Itachi whispered and leaned down for a kiss.

God, he had never expected a kiss to feel that good. After three years, he had forgotten what an excellent kisser Kisame was. With his heart fluttering and his insides flipping, Itachi couldn't stop himself from kissing Kisame. Ever since that night 1002 days ago, Itachi had thought he'd never feel this way again. It was just like back then when he first discovered his feelings for Kisame and became an embarrassing teenager just like all the others.

He didn't really know how long they lost themselves to each other until a cough from the door interrupted them. Obito was trying hard not to grin at them, while Kakuzu looked bored as usual.

“Get out, Wraith.” the big doctor said, walking directly towards Kisame. “I have to check his bandages.”

“Good to see you too, Kakuzu,” Kisame grinned. “You haven't changed a bit.”

“Shut up,” Kakuzu snapped and Itachi quickly stepped out of the way.

“Oh, Kisame,” he turned when he was at the door. “What did you say to my Mother?”

Kisame grinned. “Nothing much, just that I'm your boyfriend. And then she invited me to a summer party.”

Itachi rolled his eyes and followed Obito. He didn't need to look at his uncle to know that a naughty comment was on his lips. “I'll pay you a thousand dollars for your silence.”

“You don't need to,” Obito chuckled. “We saw it on the monitor. You know that there are cameras everywhere, right?”

Damn Sasori and his cameras. “It slipped my mind for a moment.”

“You should have seen Sasuke's face! I thought he was about to have an heart attack. Your mother looked like she was hoping for a proposal, though.”

Itachi sighed. “Oh please just kill me now.”

  


**Day 2, 8:12**

**Guest Quarters, Akatsuki Base, Konoha City**

Itachi held his crying Mother in his arms while explaining in logical detail why he needed to stay with Akatsuki. If he wasn't so injured, Mikoto might have hit him in her grief. After a two hour's talk with this parents, Itachi collapsed in a chair next to Konan, telling her that yes, he had his parents' permission to stay with his friends. Deidara and Hidan pissed themselves laughing, while Itachi killed them with his glare.

  


**Day 4, 10:37**

**Main Hall, Akatsuki Base, Konoha City**

Hidan dragged a crying and yelling Deidara away from a laughing and dodging Kisame who was being protected by a glaring and hissing Itachi.

“Let me go! He deserves it!” Deidara shouted, trying to sock Kisame in the face again. The effect of his threat was nullified for Deidara had to stand on his tiptoes to reach Kisame. “He broke my shoulder-blade and smashed my head against a wall! Five times!”

“You punched him in the jaw yesterday!” Itachi barked. “I think it's enough!”

“Broken shoulder-blade!” Deidara yelled. “My head, the wall, five times!”

“He broke my ribs and dug his finger in my bullet-hole, do you see me throwing a tantrum?”

“He bribes you with sex!” Deidara accused, elbowing Hidan in the gut.

“Aw Princess, all you need to do is ask,” Kisame joked and took both of Deidara's cheeks in his face. He pressed a firm kiss onto the blond's lips and let go with a loud smack. “Here, have a taste.”

“I'll gut you, you fucker!” Hidan yelled.

“Consider it payback. You fuck my girl, I fuck yours!”

Itachi punched them both in the jaw.

  


**Day 5, 19:09**

**Armory, Akatsuki Base, Konoha City**

Itachi was showing Sasuke the basic assembly of an assault rifle with great patience and amusement when Deidara and Tobi burst in with near panic on their faces. Kisame who had been doing sit-ups in the background to regain his impressive physique jumped up, frowning in alarm.

“Iiiiitaaaaaachhiiiiii!” Tobi cried, running towards him with his arms waving frantically in the air. “Save us!!!”

“No,” Itachi said, not looking up. “Now the bolt, Sasuke.”

“Really, you have to save us!” Deidara gasped, “Konan is coming back today! Please, save us!”

“What did you do?” Sasuke asked, lifting a brow at the blond Princess.

“They want me to cook,” Itachi explained.

“Yes, please!” Deidara exclaimed, looking up at Itachi with his big blue eyes. “When she comes back and sees that we have no food, she'll want to cook something! Please Itachi, we can't let that happen.”

“Yeah!” Tobi said. “Tobi is a good boy! Tobi can't eat anymore of Konan's food.”

“Tobi, you don't even eat.” Kisame chuckled, urging closer and doing an excellent job at distracting Itachi with his topless gorgeousness.

“What the hell is going on here?” Sasuke hissed, trying to get his gun assembled. “I thought you guys can't get any more annoying.”

“Apparently, Konan took over the mess duty while I was away.” Itachi said, tapping the item Sasuke needed to put in next. “And even though I don't usually speak poorly of my comrades, her cooking is awful.”

Kisame laughed, a sound that always send Itachi's blood rushing south. “I forgot how bad her cooking is. I wonder what she'd make tonight. The spinach keesh that tastes like nothing, or the over-salted beef broth.”

Itachi shuddered. Though he didn't suffer years under Konan's cooking like Deidara or Pain, he remembered the few instances he lied masterfully to the pilot. Diplomatically, Itachi only stated that it was not bad, but had room for improvement while all his comrades were trying not to cry. Pain included.

Deidara looked like crying just remembering it. “To be honest, you aren't the only reason Akatsuki broke up. Konan's cooking plays a huge part in it.”

“Why don't you just order take-out?” Sasuke wondered.

Deidara gave him an are-you-stupid look. “Of course, we can just order take-out to an secrets base of trained assassins.”

“Alright, I get it!” Sasuke hissed.

“What do you say, Itachi-san?” Kisame nudged even closer, almost pressing Itachi to the weapon bench. “Really missed your cooking.”

“Yeah Itachi, feed your man!” Deidara exclaimed, then promptly took the rifle out of Sasuke's hands. “Dammit, give it to me! I’m feeling physical pain just from watching you! Have you never assembled a rifle before, Idiot?”

“Of course not!” Sasuke snapped at him. “I've never ever held a gun before!”

“Is Itachi your brother at all?” Deidara muttered.

Itachi took that as a clue and dragged Kisame behind him towards the kitchen.

“Hey, where the hell do you think you're going, Kisame?” Deidara yelled after them.

“I'll help Itachi.”

“No, you won't!” Deidara snapped. “Tobi! I hereby reinstate the ban of Kisame in the kitchen while Itachi is cooking. Otherwise, we'll never get anything to eat.”

Itachi shrugged at his boyfriend and stole a kiss before he left. From behind him, he heard Deidara giving orders. “Kisame, help me teach this brat how to shoot. If he's really Itachi's brother, he might actually hit something by the time food is done.”

  


**Day 8, 14:43**

**Kitchen, Akatsuki Base, Konoha City**

Sasuke screamed when he walked in on Itachi and Kisame making out in the kitchen, each of them in nothing but their training pants.

“Have you no shame?!” The younger Uchiha barked, shielding his eyes with his hand. “Seriously, I'm go to college and I've seen freshmen more in control of their hormones!”

“Stop yelling, brat.” Sasori rolled towards him, determinate to roll Sasuke over. “Out of my way. Oi Itachi, make some coffee.”

“What is wrong with you people!” Sasuke snapped. “There are two half naked people in the kitchen and nobody cares!”

“Is he really your brother?” Sasori asked and exited his chair for some sugar in the cabinet. “Itachi, I can test him for you.”

“No need,” Itachi said. “I was there when he was born.”

“So prude,” Sasori deadpanned. “It's really hard to believe you two came from the same genes.”

“I'm not prude!” Sasuke barked.

“Yes, you are.” When Sasori couldn't reach the sugar pot in the cabinet, Kisame helped him. “Thank you.”

“Do I get a kiss?” Kisame joked.

Sasori stood on his tiptoe and sighed. “Get down here!”

Kisame chuckled and took his reward from Sasori with a smile. He turned towards Itachi and shrugged, before kissing his boyfriend as well.

Sasuke gaped at the door. “Nii-san, are you okay with this?”

“With what?”

“Your boyfriend just kissed another man.”

“You mean Sasori? Of course I'm okay with it. He wouldn't do it otherwise.”

“Do you want a kiss as well?”

Itachi grinned and accepted Sasori's gift. The tech-genius is in a good mood today.

Deidara pushed his way into the kitchen. “I smell coffee. Wow, what's going on here. Danna, you're giving out kisses? I want one, too!”

Sasuke gagged when Deidara and Sasori's kiss evolved into a battle of tongue and teeth until the coffee was ready and Sasori left without saying another word. Deidara licked his lips happily and grinned at Sasuke.

“What's that look for? Never seen two hotties make out?”

“What the hell? Aren't you dating Priest Hidan?”

Itachi suppressed his chuckle while Kisame failed at it.

Deidara grimaced, “No, I'm not dating Hidan! He's a jerk!”

“But you sleep with him.”

“So what?”

“And you kissed the Puppetmaster.”

“Yeah?”

“But you also sleep with my brother.”

“So?” Deidara said, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Uhm, are you cheating on someone or are you just really easy?” Sasuke asked. “And you, Itachi! I never thought you're that easy to get! Shame on you!”

“What is he talking about?” Kisame asked.

“Oh, Hidan and I went to cheer Itachi up a while ago. Guess he heard Hidan, you know how he is.” Deidara shook his head in bewilderment when Kisame nodded. “Is he really your brother? He's so prude.”

“I'm not prude, dammit! I'm just not that easy like Itachi!”

“You think your brother easy?” Kisame chuckled. “Does this boy know you at all?”

“Not really,” Itachi sighed.

Deidara slurred his hot coffee. “Kitty, your brother is not easy. He’s actually very hard to get. But there are exceptions… for exactly six people in the world.”

“Actually seven.” Itachi corrected.

“Seven?” Deidara blinked. “Who is the seventh?”

“You and Pain?” Kisame wondered. “When did that happen?”

“Shortly before I left.”

“Oh that's why Konan slapped you, isn't it?” Deidara gasped. “Because you guys didn't include her, right?”

“What is this, a massive polygamy?”

“No!” Deidara and Kisame shouted at the same time. The blond cleared his throat and continued. “We're not all in a relationship. Let Deidara Nii-san explain. Konan and Pain are married. But she sleeps with Hidan regularly and Itachi only occasionally. Pain mainly stays with Konan, but sometimes he comes to me and now apparently Itachi as well. Kakuzu and Hidan are actually a couple, but they won't admit it. I don't think their relationship is very healthy. But yeah, they fuck a lot, you just don't get to see it because Kakuzu likes it behind close door. I know for sure that he slept with Itachi at least once, but then nobody else. Hidan fucks with everyone except Danna, because Danna actually has taste sometimes.”

“Hidan’s never been with Pain,” Itachi added.

“Okay, noted,” Deidara grinned. “Danna and I are dating, too. He’s okay with me sleeping with Hidan, though. I mean, they are two very different types. Can't fault me for liking both. And then there's these two. They've been dating for as long as I've known them. Luckily, they share sometimes.”

“Interesting,” Kisame grinned. “If I'm right, Itachi, you're the only one of us who's been with everyone.”

“Hidan's not so far behind,” Itachi nodded.

“I've only had four out of seven, dammit! Help me, Kisame! I need to be at least on par with Hidan!”

Kisame seemed to count in his head. “Alright, then I'll be at five out of seven, too.”

“No!” Deidara whined. “I need to be on second spot! I'm the second cutest!”

“That would mean Konan,” Kisame shrugged. “Good luck with that!”

“Oh no, I'm so not her type!”

“She's at four out of seven as well.” Itachi poured himself some coffee. “You three share the third place right now, with me alone at the top.”

“How do you do it?” Deidara asked.

Itachi shrugged

“How did you get Kakuzu again? You're not type.” Kisame said.

“Dammit!” Sasuke shouted. “It's not a card-game! You're actually keeping score who’s slept with most of the team? What is wrong with you people?”

“If we're keeping score, I'd win again.”

“Which is why we don't keep score with anything, because Itachi always wins!”

“I'm done!” Sasuke threw his hands up. “I'm leaving! And I'm telling mom that you're a slut!”

“She wouldn't believe you.”

“Obito would!”

As Sasuke walked away, the three of them chuckled among themselves. “Dei,” Itachi said softly when they recovered. “Want to join us?”

“Sure!”

  


**Day 12, 22:57**

**Lounge, Akatsuki Base, Konoha City**

For the occasion of Orochimaru’s arrest and the official reinstatement of Akatsuki and all their clearances, Pain has decided that the team should come together in one of their long missed bonding sessions in their in-house lounge. In tonight's case, some of their close family members were invited as well, consisting only of the Uchihas.

“How come no one else brought any guests?” Mikoto asked, sipping her cocktail in a white dress. Itachi didn't know if he should tell her that she misunderstood it again and was more than a little overdressed.

“None of us has any friends or close family,” Kisame explained from his position next to Itachi. “Deidara has a granddad somewhere, I think. Important figure back in his homeland, but not very close.  Sasori has a grandma, she’s an old spy of the nasty sort. Konan, Pain and I are orphans.”

“I don't need any guests if I can look at you, gorgeous!” Hidan lifted his whiskey glass from the other side of the couch table and blew Mikoto a kiss.

Itachi's knife lodged into the padding of the sofa between Hidan's spread legs, only one centimeter away from his crotch. There was a sudden silence in the room as everyone took in the situation. Then Deidara broke the tension by laughing and rolling down from his stool and landing at Pain's feet.

“Final warning,” Itachi hissed. “Mother, just ignore him.”

“Really Itachi, must you be so...” she tried to hide her discomfort with Hidan's comment and Itachi's behavior, “...uncivilized?”

“It's actually pretty normal, Mikoto-san,” Konan chuckled. “It's not a real Akatsuki party until Itachi throws a knife.”

“I am so sorry, I thought I taught him better.” Mikoto said, looking helplessly to her husband. “Itachi isn't normally like that, I'm so sorry.”

“There is no need to apologize,” Konan smiled politely. “But to be blunt, I dare say we know your son better than anyone.”

Sasuke sneered, turning towards Itachi. “So you do have a dark side, not that much of a modern hero after all.”

Fugaku too couldn't suppress a slight chuckle. “Sasuke, we're all due to our secrets.”

“I'm a high-profile assassin, Sasuke,” Itachi said, enjoying his favorite drink while sitting almost in Kisame's lap. “Of course I have a dark side. It's just something I don't usually share.”

“But you share it with them!” Sasuke pointed out.

“It isn't so much him sharing,” Sasori said, still typing away on his phone, “as us being involuntary witnesses.”

“Let me tell you something about your brother, kitty,” Deidara pushed himself into Sasuke's personal space and laid an arm around him. “Your brother is not a prince, he's death in black armor! He's a hero, alright. He saved my life more times than I can count.”

“Deidara,” Itachi warned gently. “Enough bragging.”

“It's not bragging if it's true!”

“That makes no sense,” Sasuke commented.

“I know everything about your brother!” Deidara said, taking a big gulp from his extra sweet cocktail. “I've known him for what now... eight years. We've gone through so much. He's literally my brother, too.”

Sasuke shook himself out of Deidara's arm. “What are you playing at? What does that even mean?”

“It means,” Pain said from behind Sasuke. “You aren't the only one who cares about him. Akatsuki is not just a team, it's family. We look out for each other and learn from each other. We eight are more than friends, we are brothers and sister, lovers and partners. I trust them with my life, and they trust me with theirs. That the the reason why Akatsuki is able become what we are today.”

Konan sighed with a smile on her face and laid a hand on Pain's arm. “That's quite enough, dear. You're being too serious, again.”

Pain huffed. “Perhaps I am.” He raised his glass towards the Uchiha family. “Allow me these words for I am overwhelmed by joy that we've found not one, but two of our lost brothers.” He turned towards the couple who were entangled in each other on the sofa. “Itachi, Kisame, welcome home.”

Itachi and Kisame both raised their glasses. “It's good to be home!”

  


**Epilogue:**

**62 days later**

In the end, Mikoto invited the entire Akatsuki team to her summer party, because not even a preemptive missile strike on the Uchiha Manor could stop the matriarch from having her annual event. It was held at the Uchiha Summer House where hundreds of the high society were invited.

Itachi attended his mother's party with a partner for the first time in history and the news made front page of all the gossip magazines by morning. Knowing the attention Itachi drew at such gathering, none of the Akatsuki showed up. Pain explanation was simple.

“We're covert operatives,” he said when the date approached. “If you wish to expose yourselves, be my guest. But do it knowing that such attention might ruin your future opportunities. Hidan, you may not go.”

“Why the fuck?”

“Because of that,” Konan answered. “Many of the party guests are Akatsuki's patrons. We don't want to scare them away. Itachi, Kisame, have fun.”

The more casual gossip sites dubbed Kisame the ‘Beefy Boyfriend of the Konoha Prince’.

  


**70 days later**

Itachi resumes his work at the Uchiha Enterprise on Monday.

Izumi is delighted to see her old boss return and promptly hands him a heavy stack of papers he needs to work through. While the young genius carefully reviews every document Izumi gives him, everyone else in the office was hoping for the so-called beefy boyfriend to show up.

It's about time they get some quality gossip about the modern prince.

  


**72 days later**

On Wednesday, the beefy boyfriend drops by to kidnap Itachi for lunch. Their boss doesn't return for the afternoon or the day after that.

  


**73 days later**

Itachi masterfully assassinates the leader of an underground human trafficking ring. The small team consisting of Kisame, Konan and Itachi successfully rescues  eight girls under the age of 14 and 26 women between the age of 15 and 24.

  


**85 days later**

Itachi moves into his new penthouse apartment which is fitted with the newest of Sasori's tech. One day later, his boyfriend moves in with him.

  


**100 days later**

Kisame opens a shop for fishing and diving equipment at the beach. It is a front for his hidden forge where he modifies some of Akatsuki's weaponry.

  


**195 days later**

Scientist Orochimaru is put on trial for kidnapping, illegal human experimentation, mass murder, conspiracy and high treason, together with many other serious crimes.

  


**217 days later**

Vice President Shimura Danzou resigns from his office after his involvement with Orochimaru is proven.

  


**344 days later**

The united council of the five presidents hold a reception for the eight agents of the Akatsuki, formally recognizing them as heros of justice. The operation to uncover Orochimaru and Danzou Shimura’s crimes again proves Akatsuki’s value and indispensability. They are each awarded the highest honor with a medal of valor by Deidara’s adopted grandfather, the President of Iwa.

Hidan behaves himself, but only because Sasori and Kakuzu previously drugged his drink and thus paralyzed his tongue.

  


**365 days later**

Celebrating another successful mission with the whole team, Kisame drops to his knees and proposes to Itachi. The Wraith cried in front of the whole team, giving them evidence to blackmail him later.

  


**425 days later**

Half of the team almost died on a mission when their plane is shut down during evacuation. They barely make it to the next checkpoint, where Pain is waiting for them with Kisame by his side.

Itachi is hospitalized for two weeks while Konan was in a coma for 18 days.

In his desperation, Kisame suggests that they should retire.

Itachi talks to his boyfriend for two hours and they stay with the team.

  


**1001 days later**

One day after Akatsuki's official retirement, Itachi marries Kisame with his entire family present.

Sasuke brings his boyfriend and Obito shows up with Kakashi, though strictly not as a date.

Pain acts as Kisame's best man while Sasuke was Itachi's, while the rest of the team is evenly divided between the grooms. Konan and Deidara take up the roll Itachi's maids of honors only because Kakuzu and Sasori would kill anyone who calls them a maid.

Hidan is the loudest in demanding his rightful place. As a real anointed priest, he would not relinquish that honor and no one fights him for it.

At the age of 28, Itachi looks back on his exciting life as a special agent. Somehow along the way, he lost everything just to find them again. Now, he is married to the best man he can imagine.

  


To most of Konoha, this is a fairy tale worthy of a modern prince.

But deep in his heart, Itachi knows that his life is on the battlefield. Sooner or later, he will go down to Kisame's shop, pick out his favorite rifle and start shooting again. He exchanges a glance with his new husband as they watch their team on the dance floor. He smiles.

Well, their tale isn't finished yet....

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it. I'm so sorry about next to no Kisame in here. When I was writing, the working title was "KisaIta story without Kisame". I didn't notice until act III that Kisame doesn't even show up! Haha! 
> 
> And after Another Reincarnation Story, I just needed some supportive parents for Itachi. :-D 
> 
> Also, I was heavily inspired by batman and Robin comics and one of my favorite movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier.


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